The Reluctant Lord
by SmallBurnyThing
Summary: Five years of intense study and trying to survive has come to its inevitable conclusion and everything's gone to hell in a handcart. A smut fic that got a little too much plot for its own good. AU. - Discontinued -
1. He Who Lacks Mercy, Lacks Enemies

**The Reluctant Lord**

Disclaimer: I, in no way shape or form, own Harry Potter or profit from it.**  
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_Summary_

Dumbledore's plans went awry almost as soon as they began. The young boy scarred from his experiences with the Dursley's relied on himself alone. Ron's attempts at befriending him failing because he lacked the heart to reciprocate it. Then he saved Hermione, and got roped into their study group.

Over the years they've added up inconsistencies and clues, tried to find out what the Dark Arts truly are and found themselves so far ahead of their peers that they're questioning the very foundations of magical society. Foundations that have already started to fail.

_Italics – _Thoughts of the current perspective.

_*Action* - _An action, sound effect or other ambient thingymajig

"_Incantation_" A spell cast. (I subscribe to the school of thought that incantations have some cool effect associated with them, they're just not cool enough otherwise)

_Ssomething_ - Parseltongue

**Beta'd by the wonderful Ceridwen Kalamack**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One – He Who Lacks Mercy, Lacks Enemies<strong>

_Wednesday 19th June, 1996_

_*ding*_

"_Incadelesume Vertis Aras!_" Bellatrix Lestrange was flung like a fireball into the ceiling as the whip seared forth, hitting her again on the way down, half of her splashed into the golden fountain, the other half crumpled into the wall as the rage powering spell suddenly ran out. It wasn't _quite_ fiendfyre.

Harry chuckled, lowering his wand before fumbling for a pepper up potion. "That was for Sirius." He said calmly before turning back to the elevator.

"Potter." Voldemort snarled. The boy in the question took a deep breath centred himself once more and turned neatly on the spot. _'Remember the rules. Epic dueling is a bit of spellwork, a lot of imagination, cunning, treachery and a fuck load of showmanship. Thank Merlin for Occlumantic focus.'_

"Finally got tired of losing minions, Marvolo?" The Boy Who Lived grinned absently, subtly performing charm work on the fountain even as he pointed out Bellatrix's body. "There's about four others downstairs waiting for you. The other one's probably joined them as well."

"My name is Voldemort!" The arrogant bastard screamed for the whole ministry to hear. "_Avada Kedavra!_"

Harry sidestepped the spell, rebuffing the mental attack at the same time, sneering to himself. The fountain behind the bastard sprang to life as he started his counter attack, _Reducto, Diffindo, Finite Incantatem, Transmogrify, Illusio Personixia... _And so on.

Three Harry's stood side by side, examining their fingernails for dirt as the dust cleared. The shattered and battered ground a testament to the destructive forces unleashed in the first barrage. The bunch of broken stalagmites in front of him a testament to how powerful the Dark Lord's killing curses where. "A little deadly for Dumbledore's poster boy, aren't you?" he snarled.

The Harrys shrugged. "This way your minions don't have to embarrass themselves by pleading Imperius again. We both know dark mark won't take if it's not voluntary, and raping and killing a witch in cold blood is more than enough to earn death."

Voldemort smirked. "Quite. Unfortunately you won't be alive to spread that little truth much longer. You do remember what happened last time we met?"

Harry smirked. "Oh yes, thirty six hours without sleep and several deadly magical creatures later I still beat you so badly the Ministry refused to believe you existed. Isn't that right Riddle?"

"You ran!" Voldermort snarled, unleashing his own flaming whip. Ducking under the first swing, Harry hit the floor with as much magical power as he could muster, his own fear being vaporised as the whip snapped out of existence. "What is this?" Voldemort asked, taking a couple of steps back. "What did you just do to me Potter?" Harry smirked. He loved area of effect calming charms. Shame they wore off so fast, he didn't have enough power for another.

_*ding*_

"Harry!" Hermione cried from the elevator. Voldemort's eyes flicked behind him.

"_Avada-_" He started.

Harry was faster. "_Reparo._"

The hastily transfigured stalagmite was blown apart for the second time this evening. As the other members of his study club's mouths hung open.

"Tom, old chap. I must admit that the Ministry of Magic was the last place I expected to find you." Dumbledore said softly. Harry blinked, adding 'make an entrance' to his list of epic dueling requirements as the headmaster strolled across the cracked and uneven floor as though he owned the place. Rather ironically, he had a nicely golden badge announcing that he was a _'Dark Lord Eradicator'_. "Now them, I'm sure that you'll be more than happy to come peacefully..."

"Your precious weapon couldn't stand against me, what makes you think-" The back of his robe was destroyed in a spurt of blood as he disappeared with a loud crack.

"How the fuck does he levitate like that?" Harry heard himself asking, before looking at the shell-shocked group behind him, noting the sole raised wand. "Nice shot Hermione. Everyone else okay?"

"We're all upright." Neville said softly, coughing blood onto the back of his hand. "Lost my wand though."

Harry nodded, eyeing the group of Ministry employees that were slowly crawling out of the woodwork. "Good. Sorry I got to Bellatrix first. Wasn't thinking straight."

"It's okay." Neville replied. "Better, she's..." He coughed again as Luna grabbed him, and started forcing a potion down his throat.

"I just injured He-Who-" Hermione started.

"Riddle, Marvolo or Tom." Harry smiled softly, "And breathe, Hermione. Deep breaths, in and out." He walked over, starting to hold her as she broke down crying. "And thank you. All of you." He turned to look at the lot of them. "I wouldn't have made if you hadn't dragged yourselves along."

"So what do we do now?" Susan asked a little nervously.

"Now, young lady, we take your statements and clear all charges before the politicians get involved. As fetching as our minister is in his pyjamas, I do not want him near my niece." Susan gulped.

"Of course Lady Bones." Harry said softly, holding his and Hermione's wands out for her to take. "I take full responsibility for this entire mess."

The old, battle hardened lady smiled as she closed his hand around them. "Tonks, escort our temporary Aurors here to the debrief room." At Harry's astounded expression, she laughed. "You've done what the rest of my department have been trying to do for the last year. Shoved a firecracker up the minister's arse and killed at least one of You-Know-Who's inner circle." With one last look at them she started walking towards Dumbledore. "Make sure you grab the healers before they start handing out calming draughts."

Ron finally caught up with the rest of the world, from his concussed bloody and battered state. "Did he just stop the killing curse with the repair charm?" Everyone nodded. "Bloody hell, Hermione could do that before first year!"

OoooOoooO

_Room of Requirement – Monday 24th of June_

A yawning Harry slid down the door, glad that the room consisted of a couple of couches, beanbags and a roaring fire instead of it's usual hell-hole. Then it opened, and turfed him onto the carpet.

"Damn, I'm sorry." A slightly flustered Slytherin said, before picking him up and dragging him to the nearest couch. "Are you okay?" He just grinned like an idiot. "Fine, we'll wait for everyone else first." She pouted. "You okay Hermione?" The brown haired girl groaned slightly as refreshments appeared.

Harry finished the mug of black coffee with a sigh, digging in to the fresh pastries Dobby had brought up for them all, sighing as the sugar rush hit. "All right, the last defence meeting of Granger's Gremlins for this year is called to order." He said with a smile.

"We really need to change that name." Hermione protested. "Maybe to the Hogwart's Army?"

"Hell no." Harry protested with everyone else. "You started the study groups, you get stuck with the name, and I am never teaching a mass class again. The DA was an atrocity. Anyhow, first item on the agenda, there will be no practice today because I'm still recovering from energy potion overdose and magical depletion." There was a couple of mock 'awws'. "Yes, I know, shame isn't it. Next year I'll start the rest of you guys on what I call 'Theatrical Duelling', otherwise known as 'whatever the fuck Dumbledore and Riddle do to make everyone else afraid of them'. That's assuming you've all gotten good enough mental focus." He smiled at the Slytherin. "Daphne, your lessons are truly invaluable for this sort of thing, it's not a coincidence every major power is a master Occlumens."

Taking another glug of tea he turned to the rest of them. "As for the rest of you, I want to apologise to the five of us that weren't present at the ministry last week. I had been intending to go alone but, well, best laid plans and everything... So yeah, I'd rather have you at my back than Ron, any day. What did you guys think of what happened?"

Neville looked around nervously. "Well, I'm damn glad they were holding back, those fake prophecy orbs Luna conjured were brilliant as they couldn't risk smashing them. Even Ron managed to survive the encounter." The rest of them snorted.

"Do you reckon he'll be back next year?" The violet eyed Slytherin asked him nervously. "He gets Malfoy riled up worse than Potter does by existing."

"Oh fuck." Susan swore. "I killed his father as well." She smiled nervously. "I still think you convincing us to use lethal force was the best idea ever but he'd really going to be out for me next year. I might have to wear my shield bracer outside of practice."

"You did?" Blaise almost squealed. "Bad for you maybe, but I owe you one for taking him down a peg."

"So do I." Harry interjected. "I owe Hermione as well for actually wounding Riddle." She blushed at the complement. "Anyhow, now that we've got that sorted, is there anything people think they need to work on or any observations that people want to make?"

Neville nodded. "Quick clean kills, always. I blew a death eaters' head apart because he'd stopped to torture Luna instead of killing or stunning her."

"And no stunners, unless the enemy is purely non-lethal." Susan added. "The amount of times I had to ennervate Ron. I swear he snores like a pig." Everyone chuckled. "The shield bracers just stopped those right out, thanks Hermione."

"Anything else?" They shook their heads. "Good. Then it's time for something you'll all love. Summer Projects." The group groaned as Harry chuckled. "You can always give me a really bad one if you dislike what I've given you."

"Hermione, it's a lot to ask, but I want you to work on expanding the shield bracers so they can be used to reflect reductors and other nasty spells. If you don't think that's going to work, I'd appreciate it if you could think of a way of adding a foci to something with a long range,like a knife or sword. I'm beginning to look into backup weapons because wizards only ever take wands. On that note, Blaise, I'd appreciate it if you could research charms used for blades and other things. I also want all of your measurements." He looked a little nervously. "And how much you think you're going to grow, including bust sizes. I want to buy you all armour." He said nervously.

"You're cute when you blush, you know that?" Hannah said, trying not to join him.

"I'll take that as a complement I think." He handed out a couple of sheets of parchment. "Here's the books we need to have finished by next year. We'll start looking at warding, transportation and indirect damage. I also want you girls," he paused, catching Neville's glare with a smile, "and guy to keep up the physical training and patching together whatever martial arts training you can get. And that concludes defence."

"You mean hero training." Erin, Luna's only friend from her year added quickly. Harry sighed at the cute first-gen witch.

"No, it's defence training. Blaise, what are we doing for charms, please?" The black haired Slytherin girl smiled, chuckled and finally gave in to his pout.

"Only if you do potions after me. Anyhow, here's the reading list and...

OoooOoooO

_Ministry Atrium – Somewhen..._

The green light never hit, disintegrating on the reforming rock. "Now, now no need to be jealous Marvolo, just because I still have my most faithful." Purring, she turned to the man running one hand through her hair, drowning in those emerald green eyes even as he kept his focus on the enemy. The quick kiss curled her toes, hell, she even got a kick out of him pushing her down to duck a curse.

The fight finished quickly, and his hands slid under her clothes... "_Diffindo_." He whispered softly in her ear and cold air touched her back as he came in for a proper kiss and those hands moved forward and...

_*beepbeep* *beepbeep*_

A sweaty, naked Hermione rushed to the showers, swearing at the alarm spell.

Lavender raised an eyebrow at her other dorm mate. "You think it's nightmares from the department of mysteries?"

Parvati shook her head. "Looked a little too exited for that. I think."

Their eyes met. "The bookworm? Naaah. We'd better start packing."

OoooOoooO

_Gryffindor Fifth Year Boys Dormitory – A little later_

"Hey Harry. Why aren't you coming down and talking to everyone, you duelled You-Know-Who and won!" Ron shouted from the stairwell.

"It's Tom, Marvolo or Riddle, Ron, we've been over this. And I'm fine up here." Harry said without inflexion and avoiding eye contact.

"You sure about that mate, I mean it's the last day and everything, you should be celebrating or something, like everyone else is." Harry rubbed his eyes slowly. Why had he stopped this idiot from grabbing those brains again? Oh yeah, Luna was nearby and Neville would have killed him if anything had happened to her.

"Where did you get that glove from it's got some kind of runes on it and everything. I mean it's cool you stole something from the Department of Mysteries but maybe you should get Dumbledore to take a look at it. Make sure it's not dark or anything." Harry rose like the dead from his dead and stared at his anxious year mate. "It's not taken control of you, has it? Dumbledore said it might."

Even without sleeping last night Ron was as transparent as glass to Harry. "It was a gift Ron, so you can tell Dumbledore that it's just fucking fine and he can piss off with the spying already because I'm sick of it."

"Hey, I'm not spying on you." Ron said quickly, "I'm just concerned mate. I mean, I fought with you, didn't I?" Harry stared at him.

_Yeah, you did. Showed up out of nowhere at just the right moment. Just like Dumbledore. Just like Umbridge in fact. I wonder who put those really crap tracking charms on my cloak because they almost hid Dumbledore's. Shame I've removed them now isn't it._ Harry blinked. "Sirius is dead Ron, and I'm pissed at Dumbledore from portkeying me away from the DMLE without even attempting to ask what I wanted. So no, I'm not interested in talking to anyone for a while." With that in mind Harry got up, put on his invisibility cloak and stood still.

"Hey!" Ron yelled and ran down the stairs. Sighing at how easy he was to trick, Harry pulled the cloak off and walked slowly down to the hall to eat a belated breakfast.

OoooOoooO

Hermione had spent the morning packing and now was pushing food around her plate. Luckily neither Ron, nor Harry were anywhere to be seen and Neville managed to give her a comforting glance before distracting her table-mates. There was still about an hour before they had to leave for the train and she was thinking. She'd always had a thing for hero tales and well, that had developed to those tales where the heroine followed her man till the end of the earth and somehow some submissives had gotten involved, with the obedience, and the punishments, and the mind-blowing sex and...

She still liked a good heroine though, the one that kicked ass, took names and generally enjoyed herself. With the guy in the background of course, it's not fun if he's not watching. But then why did she get so worked up when dream-harry called her his 'most faithful', it sounded like something Riddle would say to Bellatrix...Wait a sec.

Comparisons flashed passed in her mind. She'd follow Harry anywhere, Bella would follow her master anyway. She'd kill anyone who hurt her Harry in front of her. Bella would do the same. She would kill for her master. So would Bella. She wouldn't torture for her master though not unless, not unless... She shivered. Bella _really_ liked the Cruciatus, and she'd never used it. Fuck. And wasn't that a bad choice of wording right there...

"Hermione, are you okay you look a little pale?" Harry asked.

"Yes," _Master. _She shuddered, _down girl, you've got it bad. _"Just... thinking. Feeling better?"

"No." He looked at the staff table and one notable absence. "But then the old bastard still hasn't put his office back together from whatever the hell I did to it, either. Went up like a firecracker."

She giggled, then blinked. Harry smiled at her.

"That's a new one for you. We still have the train journey back, and we'll stay in touch over the holiday. I'll want to know how that work is going." She sighed, finally clamping down on her Occlumency barriers. It was going to be a long journey without Daphne to tease or Erin there to talk runes and rituals with, for that was the first rule of the Granger Gremlins: The Granger Gremlins didn't exist.

The second rule was much more fun: Notice-me-Not charms do, get used to beating them. That had been before they'd found the Room of Requirement for the disastrous attempt at the Defence Association.

Unfortunately breakfast continued as usual. Ron was disgusting, the three of them were silent taking in the gloves they all wore and the ignorance of everyone else. All in all, the companionship was good.

"Working, Hermione, really?" Ron spluttered everywhere as she started scribbling. Harry grinned, pulling out his own parchment. Neville rolled his eyes. "Mental, absolutely mental, both of you." But that didn't matter as Harry saw the scribbled note.

_'We really should learn a sign language at some point, non-magical American standard perhaps?'_

'_If we have the time for it, of course._' Harry scribbled down.

_'Time. Hah, like we have enough time for what we already have planned.'_ Daphne's elegant lines formed beneath it. _'And five meter rule, seriously, you're sat next to each other. Whisper in each others ears like a proper couple.'_

Hermione blushed and Harry chuckled. Neville absently pulled his own protean parchment out and then wiggled his eyebrows at them. That ended that discussion.

OoooOoooO

The train journey was uneventful as they waited till last to pick up a carriage, a subtle charm from Hannah prompted Ron to leave with Lavender. As far as they knew he spent the entire journey regaling his heroics and frankly they couldn't have cared less. What they had cared about was the lack of Malfoy. The sorry bastard had fled home to his mother in 'grieving' for his fathers death. Harry smiled. _Oops_.

OoooOoooO

"It's nice to see you sticking together." Amelia Bones greeted the five of them as they left the train together. "I have a feeling you'll need it in the times ahead." They all smiled nervously before Harry took the lead.

"I'm sure the five of us will always have each others backs." He greeted calmly. "Is this about my missed interview? I would apologise but the blame lies firmly _elsewhere_." He stated softly.

"I would happen to agree with you on that one Mr. Potter." She said softly, giving him his wand back. "And, should said interference not have almost complete control over the judicial system and the Wizengamot, you would have been awarded for such an event. Unfortunately, you and your friends participation has been officially swept under the rug, for the Greater Good of course." Harry frowned.

"Yes, your wand probably does feel a little different now that all the charms, blocks and other monitors have been removed from it." She continued smoothly. "Normally I'd ask to borrow the rest of your wands so that we could document the extent to which our government has fallen but that would be both problematic and illegal. Is the Young Mister Weasley with you?" She gave the group a hopeful once over. "No. It appears I will have to deal with the Harridan later then." She sighed and pulled out a bunch of paperwork and thin books from her robes.

"If anyone asks, you where investigating a series of incidents in the Department of Mysteries that where judged trivial in nature, as befitting our new trial Trainee Auror program, which you happen to be members of."

"You didn't..." Susan started before hug tackling her aunt with a smile. "You're the best, you know."

"Yes, well, if you'll all sign these conveniently back-dated forms I can remove the trace from your wands and give you an official commendation for your actions." She explained calmly. "And give you your ID and training manuals."

"We're not going to be Aurors." Luna said with sing-song formality, before shrugging as everyone looked at her. "I just thought I'd tell you."

"I know, but retroactive legality is a wonderful thing and I'd like to be on the side of one of the two people who've duelled our Enemy and lived." She looked Harry in the eyes. "And I'd prefer it if it was the one my niece trusted."

Harry ratcheted up his mental defences and felt relieved when no assault came. Then, before engaging his mouth he asked himself, '_What would Daphne do?_' Then he spoke. "Your offer is appreciated Lady Bones, but I must stress that I will be neither bribed nor threatened into doing anything. I have commitments of my own I must meet." He said, executing a formal bow.

She spent a moment or two in thought before smiling. "Very well said. I will look forward to following you when the time comes. Until that time, think of this as an excuse to train a little more." She offered the form. "You may return it by owl signed or not, but for now let me remove the trace and any other spells I find. We can always add the legally required ones later if you refuse. Your wand, Mrs Granger?"


	2. Third Party Goblins

A/N: Thanks for everyone who's left a review, I really appreciate them. A little clarification on the AU bit: All the major events in the books have happened but with a more badass, knowledgeable Harry. The exception is fifth year (at the start of the story) where Sirius was actually being tortured in the ministry.

One of my main problems with canon was that the Marauders invented the map in fifth year. The Twins invented all kinds of madness and the Gryffindor Three... nothing. That hasn't happened in this 'verse.

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><p><strong>Chapter Two – Third Party Goblins<strong>

_Outside the Leaky Cauldron - 25th June_

"All right, if you insist, I'll see you when you come back on the bus." Daniel Granger said as his sixteen year old daughter tried to hug the life out of him.

"Thanks dad. The pair of you will only get bored in Flourish and Blotts, why don't you two go find a good Waterstones or something?" She raised an eyebrow as Emma laughed.

"Don't give your mother ideas." He said, with a shake of his head as Hermione walked off and he lost sight of her. On an empty street. "I'll never get used to magic." He muttered under his breath.

You could almost see the newspapers being blown down Diagon Alley, as magicals far and wide celebrated and reunited with their children at the end of the school term. Tomorrow it would be a god-damned nightmare. For now Hermione had the safety of the empty street, her shield bracer, wand, and a whole new confidence to reassure her as she strode towards Gringotts.

The inside was as busy as the alley outside, a few goblins loitered doing paperwork and the guards themselves staring blankly at the walls. There was one other unwelcome customer.

"What do you mean, I can't access my vault yet!" A screaming Malfoy was yelling at one of the few goblin tellers on duty.

"I have told you already." The goblin announced quite loudly. "Vault ownership is only transferred after the will has been read, and not an instant before. I suggest you cease attempting to access money you do not yet own. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?" The goblin asked with a raised eyebrow as the one Hermione was waiting for strode into the room.

Moving over the desk he started to open she half-bowed and said what she believe to be the Gobbledygook for '_Greetings, Skullbreaker. May your gold run freely and your enemies be crushed.'_ Startled the goblin snarled and burst out laughing.

"A good attempt Lady Granger, but you really need to work on the '_-arh:eh_' and the gutturals." He said after he'd recovered. "Unfortunately we don't have any talking tomes available, but perhaps you should try learning Arabic first. Both tongues share the same origin."

Hermione bowed. "My regrets at mangling your language then. I hope it wasn't enough to warrant a declaration of war?" She asked sweetly. "And I am no Lady."

"We shall see." The goblin said dramatically, as though he knew something she didn't. "And yes, Hermione, it wasn't quite a declaration, but you were very close to one. Though I'm sure you'd find a way to make it profitable if you had." He pulled out a muggle style wallet. "The transaction you requested, with the additional security features."

"A pleasure working with you." Hermione said calmly, pulling her own knife to drip a bit of blood on the metallic symbol on the wallet before touching it. It flashed red. She gingerly reached down to pick it up and put it in her pocket.

"Most witches would check the amount first." Skullbreaker observed slyly.

Hermione placed a small potions vial containing a silvery liquid on the desk before stating calmly. "I trust you enough to shed blood on your magic, just as you trust my honour." She slid the vial across. "Payment for your services."

"Thank you indeed Lady Granger," He said, inspecting the vial greedily. "You and the others do us a great honour, as such, there is one last thing before you leave today." He opened the tellers window and placed a small stack of books in front of her. "A gift of goblin knowledge for such a valued customer."

"I have no need for charity." The ritualistic words were forced off of her tongue as her eyes and body went cold. The vial suddenly lost its allure for the goblin. She refused to show weakness. He had been certain the promise of knowledge would do it. He looked deep into her eyes and saw the magic dancing within. What kind of person has instilled such control in her he wondered, going over the information he had while she squirmed. Yes, it was worth the risk.

"Then I offer trade instead. Pertinent knowledge for pertinent knowledge." Skullbreaker smiled without bearing teeth. "Have you been claimed?"

Hermione froze, ice filled her veins as her mind went into analytical overdrive. The goblins had just gone from a neutral party to another player in the game. They knew something. A prophecy, perhaps? Or her feelings. Though from the scant few times she'd been in here they shouldn't have known that. So, denial, or truth. She eyed the books warily. She suspected that what little there was in there that would not be mutually profitable for both sides would not be worth it. For that was how the goblins operated. Still. They couldn't afford to loose it, and what good could it possibly do them?

Skullbreaker watched as the mind magic faded and the human left herself completely undefended. "I have made my choice." She said tiredly. "But I have not been claimed. If you are asking what I think you are."

The goblin nodded and added a slender tome to the top of the pile. "Confiscated from a vault long unclaimed. You might find it interesting." The goblin, bowed. "May your enemies drown in their own blood and your Lord's gold grow with each strike. Give my respects to the others." Hermione just stood there shocked as he strode off. That leave-taking wasn't in any of the books she'd read. Somewhat absently she placed the books into her expanded bag and turned as she felt wards she didn't recognise fall.

"Consorting with goblins is a new low even for you, you filthy mudblood. I'll be glad when the Dark Lord wipes you and your corruption off the face of this earth." Draco sneered into her face.

Hermione just stood there, puzzling over the teller that was not a teller, goblin motives, resources and reasons. Almost absently she looked back up at Draco. "I'm sorry, did you want something?" He blinked. She shrugged and walked off.

Draco looked like a fish on dry land. This had been one of the worst weeks of his life. First his father had died failing the Dark Lord and showing his utter incompetence by being unable to kill the skill-less Potter. The only bright side was that his aunt had finally managed to off that blood-traitor and free him to take control of the Black household. He smiled. Then he'd just need the Heir's ring and the ability to threaten some attractive, nubile girl's parents into signing a binding magical contract with him using her blood. He was getting bored of Parkinson. But no, the goblins claimed they couldn't do anything until the will reading. In a month. And his father's will apparently couldn't be sorted until the Black will was resolved. Which meant there was another month after that before he could claim his full inheritance as a dual lord.

But what really got under his skin, ignited the urge to go forth and slaughter was seeing that pretentious stuck up bitch of a mudblood get preferential treatment when he, Draco Bloody Malfoy was sneered at, degraded and insulted for his father; the bribe money needed to posthumously clear his name locked up in irritating laws and goblin vaults. The Bastards. When he reached his Majority on October the Thirteenth and came into his full power at Hogwarts they would rue the day they ever crossed him. He swore it. And spat on the floor to seal it.

The guard took great pleasure in throwing him ass over end out the door after a small fine for vandalism. Now he had even less money to survive on for a month. Damn his father for keeping everything in his name. Damn them all.

OoooOoooO

"Everything's fine dad, like I said last year I'm in this really awesome study group and we're like a year or two ahead of everything so none of us were worrying about exams. How's Uni going for Pete?" Hannah Abbot asked her father sweetly.

"Surprisingly well, he said. Couldn't believe he'd ended up with a first with all the other stuff he's been doing this year. Are you going to need help with your non-magical studies from him?"

"I'm doing fine dad, even in physics. Like I said last year, I know you were discriminated against, but I think I'll much better when it comes to finding a magical job."

He sighed. "Perhaps, but I really don't like the idea of my daughter getting involved in the kind of patrons that most muggleborn witches find."

"Dad! He's not like that." The old man snorted at her exclamation. "I'm serious dad, you'd have like tie him up and feed him a lust potion to get him to look at any of us like that." She sighed. "Not that I wouldn't mind if he did..."

"And that's what I'm worried about." He interrupted her daydream like expression. "All I want is to make sure you've got enough going on to make it in our world once you finally get tired of theirs."

Hannah giggled. "You don't have to worry about that. They're so busy being stuck in the seventeenth century they have no idea of the advances we've made." Her eyes gleamed, pale red encircling her irises for a moment as she shuddered. "_Think_ of the spells that I can make now that I understand multidimensional calculus! They'll never know what hit them!"

They pulled to a stop in the garage, and he turned the key. Absently he looked at his slightly worried daughter as they left the car. "Isn't that degree level mathematics?"

"Yeah, errm." She looked down, wand suddenly in her hand. "Listen, could you do me a favour?"

"Anything for you, dear." He said with a smile.

"Can you... put my wand in one of your safes and..." She gulped, hand trembling as she offered it. "and not tell me which one. I just don't want to be tempted to cast a new spell. Or anything."

"Sure." He said, looking a little confused at her request. "Are you feeling alright, you're trembling."

"I... must have caught something at the station. Or something." Hannah muttered under her breath. It was taking a fair amount of effort to not take her wand back. That thin stick of wood made her feel safe, safe in the knowledge that she could beat anything that would oppose her. And she'd enjoy it. Like the rush of adrenaline, of condensed pleasure.

Following her dad as he levitated her trunk up the stairs and into the house, she promised herself that if the cravings didn't get better next year she'd give them up. The group could find someone else to research the dark arts and their counter-spells.

But then again, she'd said that last year.

OoooOoooO

A strawberry blond, haughty looking teen checked herself out in her hand mirror, putting the muggle make up away she then applied a layer of glamour charms, adding an extra twenty-thirty years to her age, tweaking her nose, body shape and height. The end result was a women just the attractive side of her mid-thirties, which was hopefully just enough to avoid unwanted attention. She was gambling that those who could see though glamours wouldn't see past the hair colour potion or make up and those that would recognise the make-up wouldn't see through the glamour.

Hermione Granger straitened up, thanked Merlin for Amelia Bones and set forth to test a theory of hers. "Point Me." She said softly to her wand as she walked out of a dead end alley in Magical London. Focusing on the idea of book stores she hadn't visited yet. Diagon Alley was just the entrance, after all, and Knockturn Alley was far too well known to be the only black market district around. The wand shivered, twisted and pointed further away from them both.

The first couple where junk shops. Trashy little places run by elderly wizards long past their prime, the accumulations of centuries accrued across shelves and tables. Still the ministry had never bothered to clean them out and the odd '_scourgify_' often revealed the odd treasure long since banned. They were often rather pleasant people as well. There was one odd gentleman in particular that she felt exemplified the lot of them.

"What? What? Oh my." The bespectacled old wizard had said with a rather large grin as he closed his book and stumbled towards her, beard wrapped like a belt round his waist. "What's this? Oh, come closer young lass." He said as she nervously complied. "My, my no wonder I didn't recognize you, it's been a while since we've had anyone new come in here. Normally it's just the old crew you know, always asking if I've got new stock. But like Minister Bagnold, I say, my store never changes!" He blinked with a wide toothless grin. "But I'm rambling aren't I? Always do to a pretty face. Come in, come in. Take a look at my piles of, erm, well, stuff. Good word that, best invention of the eighteenth century. I think it was the eighteenth century."

Hermione couldn't help it. She giggled. "A pleasure to meet you. What would you recommend I took a look at?"

"Oh yes, where are my manners. I'm Datherby, Datherby Bint, former Gentlemanly Adventurer. Did you know our muggle counterparts empire covers most of the globe! Bloody marvellous bit of work that. Just got my collected curiosities here. All trinkets I've picked up over the years you know. Without an heir I might as well them off instead of letting them rot in some vault" He indicated a shelf that was a bit less dusty than the rest. "Why, that over there is my entire findings from an ancient burrow tomb in the heartlands of our green isles. Truly terrifying that was. All these barrow wights. Pah. Spent the entire time trying to fry their anchors with lightning. We weren't allowed Patroni in my day."

"Do you mind if I?" Hermione asked, pointing her wand at the shelf.

"Go ahead, I don't pay much mind to the newfangled idea of installing magical detectors in shops. I figure if anyone wanted to copy my books or steal things, Spotty'll stop them. I'm pretty sure the old elf is still around." He nodded at her quick cleaning charm. "Nicely done lass, now here we have a bunch of what I call hissing pyramids, never did quite get what they were for, then there's a couple of scrolls we recovered. Unreadable unfortunately, completely ruined by age..." He went on and on explaining each shelf, his accomplishments and with only a little prompting from her revealed the ancient books and other things that he'd used to do them.

It was with a little bit of trepidation that she finally left the store after having purchased three ornate wands, a set of five pyramids decorated with some kind of snake that hissed when touched, five items of unknown purpose but interesting runic design, a skeleton key, a 'chameleon cloak' because he didn't trust those 'newfangled invisibility ones', a splattering of rusty daggers engraved with various runes and forty three selected tomes she had never seen anywhere else, along with a copy of his private grimoire _'for the lovely lady'_ all for the glorious price of... seven galleons, a packet of polos and some cleaning charms.

Hermione figured he'd just liked the idea of having someone to talk too for two and a half hours.

She'd read in the History of Hogwarts that the previous Headmaster, Dippet, had been charge of the castle for over two hundred years before Dumbledore became the youngest headmaster yet to hold the post (at the tender age of seventy). She hadn't believed it. Meeting someone who actually was that old and had the items to prove it drove home just how strange reality could really be.

OoooOoooO

_Number 4, Privet Drive_

"Wotcher Harry." Tonks said before grinning like a girl possessed. "Is that a wand in you hand or are you just happy to see me?"

"Where's Order Headquarters?" Harry asked quickly, relying on the fidelius more than extractable knowledge.

"Twelve Grimmaud Place. The Black families least favourite property." She replied quickly, and Harry lowered his wand. "Nice wardwork by the way, didn't expect to run into them, kind of literally." She took in his stern look. "I'll replace them when I leave." She said quickly.

"Why didn't you trigger the alarm ward? Even if you broke it I should have noticed." He asked cautiously.

"Well, err, about that... Can't really tell you anything at the moment. Confidentiality contracts and all that." She carried on nervously. "Still, I'm your assigned watcher for the next eight hours. 'Dung is after me, so you've got a free sixteen without Dumbledore sticking his nose in. I'll be out front if you need me." Harry nodded, as she started to walk off. "Oh, wait. Nearly forgot."

Harry's reflexes made catching the shimmering piece of jewellery easy. A small sapphire sat in the head of a raven on the necklace. "What is it?"

"Emergency portkey, from a mutual friend of ours who's not in the Turkey roasting business." Tonks said carefully. "Activation phrase is 'No home of mine'. Got that?" Harry nodded. "I'll be off then, because you didn't see me."

Harry watched the bubblegum pink haired girl leave, running the chain through his fingers. The prick of magic on the chain was unmistakable, but the Raven held nothing. That was a personal touch. He smiled. Three possible destinations then. Bones Manor, Black Manor or Tonks' home. A muted clunk followed by an 'I'm fine.' made him chuckle as turned to stare up at the half-moon.

Pulling the silver spoon out of his pocket, he entered the Occlumancers' Trance, reading the flows of energy that enveloped, enhanced and protected his mind. Settling those down he reached out further, searching for the energies that Remus was so sensitive to...

Two hours later Harry was certain he had a problem. It was there and he could feel it, and his mind could grasp it but his magic had failed him. It just wasn't responding well enough. There was something he could do about that though. Sitting there under Dumbledores fabled wards, Harry turned his perspective and the knowledge of a trainee alchemist inwards.

It was a while before he'd calmed down enough to try and remove the blocks he'd found laced inside his magical core, tracing their corruption as it had grown, becoming a twisted bundle of blockages, structures and monsters in some lovecraftian pattern. He was in for one hell of a summer trying to sort that mess out. Assuming his own magic's instability didn't kill him first.

OoooOoooO

The blond women stalked the night-time ways of Knockturn Alley with a half-smile on her face as her wand spun through her fingers. Hermione Granger was having a good night. Until two men stepped in front of her. She stopped, not even bothering to see if there was a pair behind them.

"We don't like your kind here." Their leader stepped forwards warningly, wand raised. "Knockturn Alley isn't safe at night."

"My kind?" Hermione Granger asked nervously, a little afraid of the act she had to put on. "Are you volunteering yourself as a demonstration of just what type I am?" The man stepped forward. Her fear spiked. _"Ardens Sanguine."_ she whispered softly as her wand traced a small rune.

The man screamed, twitched, clawed at his eyes and blood spit and spattered across the floor with a his. Hermione released him disgust cooling at the bottom of her stomach. But now she had confidence. That was what separated the dark arts from the Dark Arts, the ability to convert one emotion into another. All it cost was a little destruction or pain. She tried to ignore the thrill she got as the others backed off.

"Blood boiling curse." She said as she reached out to full the cowering man's head upwards to meet her eyes. "Makes their eyes go all red, just like the Dark Lord. Now then, I'm off to do some shopping, I hope you're not going to stop me?"

They fell back like a pack of dogs that had been kicked and she strode past them to that small area beyond Knockturn Alley. Where hags, heathens, black cloaks, infernei and more walked side by side in the darkness. This was the true centre of criminal London. She flipped her cloaks hood up and downed a calming draught.

Shopping there was an exercise in frayed nerves, Occlumency and magic sensing, avoiding the cursed books and items that everyone seemed to be peddling, and constantly refreshing the anti-pickpocketing charms. She had unleashed more than one dark spell at thieves that night, but the high never lasted. She only cursed someone for her own amusement once or twice.

OoooOoooO

One last merchant and she'd go home, she swore it. She just had to find the right one. Deep in the corner, there was an anomaly, a few tables loaded high with books. Nervously she walked forwards, wary for wards or anything else that could be keeping the others at a respectable difference. There were some. She thought. A detection ward at least. But nothing dangerous. The stalls owner looked up, stared at her face, frowned and checked the wand in her hand. "You'll want the selection on the left." He said calmly, returning to his book.

Almost nervously she did what he'd suggested. _Rituals of the Tantra, Rites of Eros, Calling the Dead_. She picked that one up carefully, noting the cold iron bindings and the lack of curses and started looking for more. After she'd found her third book she caught herself. The side-swipe of an eye. A three edged square. Her hand touched smooth leather, breaking the charm as she picked a book up.

"Fifty galleons for the first three. As for the fourth, you break the charm you keep it. Good choice." Smiling she reflexively paid the steep price, still trying to fight the books protection. "Now, you'd best be getting home girl, before the entertainment starts." The page of his book turned. "No one likes Gryffindors here."

"Homecoming." Hermione whispered to herself, being wrenched by the navel through space and time to end up at the entrance to the leaky cauldron. Dropping the books on necromancy into her nearly full bag she dismissed her concealments and rushed towards the toilets. An hour later, after a hearty meal and wallowing in self pity and disgust, she made her way to the Knight Bus.

It took the journey back to beat the charm enough to glance at the books title.

_Family Magics, Their Origins and How to Start Them._

_By Arnon Edward Mouse._

She sighed at the pseudonym.

OoooOoooO

_Greengrass Estate - 27th June_

"Father, if you are thinking of entering either of us into marriage contracts to which we do not consent you will find that life for all involved will become extremely painful." Daphne spoke softly before the family meeting had begun. "I am not without my own assets and any contract you would find reasonable I could shatter."

"I... Look, you know I would never do that to either of you." Damien started uneasily, his entire presentation off now. "How did you know I was going to talk about that?"

"I would say feminine intuition, but Malfoy has been shooting his mouth off and making demands again." She handed him the rolled up parchment she'd received the day before. "Did you receive anything 'Stori?" Her younger sister shook her head silently, looking a little sheepish. "Then I'll give it to you afterwards then, you need to know just who your crush is."

"This..." Her father started, his voice becoming as emotionless as his daughters. "This changes things. The way Narcissa was talking they were a kind old family recently impoverished by a bad twist of fate and the imperious curse. I was hoping you'd be amenable. He is in your year and House."

Daphne snorted. "I would rather wed a Hufflepuff girl than any male currently belonging to Slytherin, father. _They_ would not use me as a bargaining trick, and wouldn't enslave themselves to a cruel master. Might as well pick a first-generation as well, you do realise that most ancient houses lines resemble those of badly bred dogs?"

"First-ge... You mean a muggleborn, don't you?" Her father sighed. "You know it was all I could do after your mother died to keep our family afloat and neutral. That would alienate at least eighty percent of the wizengamot." He rubbed his temples, regretting teaching his daughters his skills as a way of getting over their mothers death. Daphne had taken to the strategies and techniques of spies like a fish took to water. "You've picked a side, haven't you? Which one?"

An uncharacteristic smirk lit his daughters face as she gave her sister the letter. "The winning one."

"So I should assume that the anomalies I noted on your last Trust account statement are intentional?" He asked carefully. She nodded as Astoria gasped.

"He... He just expects you to..." She looked up. "That's sickening."

"My thoughts exactly." Daphne said with a smile. "It seems that losing his father hasn't improved the little bastard."

"Daphne!" Her sister gasped.

"What? It's true, Parkinson has complained about it and if my suspicions are correct." She smiled. "The other part will be true as well, there's another descendant of the main Black line."

Her father gasped as he flicked through the family trees. "That will royally alter the balance of power and fuck up a lot of peoples plans if Orion was not the last magical head of the line. If Mister Potter gains control of the family he may well do just that." He gave his daughter a cold glance. "I hope your side appreciates what a gem they've found in you."

She thought of the rare and ancient invisibility cloak she had in her trunk for her to 'borrow' over the holidays. "They do." Astoria placed the letter back on the table with a hurt look in her eyes. "It's okay, 'Stori, there's plenty more boys out there who will do a lot more for you than he ever would." Daphne said as she gave her sister a hug. "Do you want to go outside for a bit?"

Unfortunately for the younger sister, a Gringott's owl was let in through the charmed window and landed on Daphne's shoulder. Taking a look at the thick parchment she pulled it off, unravelled the shrinking charms and broke the seal of the sole letter marked as urgent.

_'Ms. Greengrass,_

_As our primary contact for the Potter Estate, we are bound to inform you that your client has been requested to attend the will reading of Sirius Black as the main beneficiary. We would note that a notice has also been sent to Albus Dumbledore as his legal guardian and that, should he not present himself at Gringotts by 2pm on the 23rd of July his titles and emancipation will be unable to be claimed until his seventeenth birthday. Similar to what happened with his Potter title on his eleventh birthday. As a registered proxy, you are also invited to attend with your client, though this is optional._

_We would appreciate it if you passed this message on to your client. Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood are also invited should they mysteriously find their post owls blocked._

_May your enemies fear your name._

_Bloodclaw'_

Smiling Daphne pulled a lighter out of her pocket and set the parchment aflame. Her Dad's eyebrows crawled even further into his hairline. "And the games begin." She said softly as her sister frowned. "I'll tell you when it's over 'Stori. Ice cream?"

Damien Greengrass watched his daughters go, staring uneasily at the pile of documents his oldest had placed in her drawer. He'd seen the blood seals on those papers before, and there were far more bundles than necessary for his daughter's sole trust vault.

OoooOoooO

Voldemort winced as his shoulder twinged. It had been almost a week and the wound still hadn't healed. Damn that mudblood. Damn his followers. Damn them all. The Dark Lord seethed. Six names, six untouchable names that he would like to destroy with passion. Hermione bloody Granger was top of the list. Potter had been a threat but the girl had wounded him. Nearly condemned him to more years as a shade. While he was talking! The scum had no sense of decency, none at all.

He could take down the wards about her household, but others would show up too soon. So he'd have to deal with them first. He'd planned on leading the assault personally, blasting through the manor walls and destroying everything in sight, but his injury made it a risk. There was another method, an easier method. One that while not as impressive would still send the correct message.

"Nott." He called for one of his remaining inner circle, planning this out. The Aurors were all keyed to the wards at this location as his target had the habit of taking work home. He could plan based on that and adapt according to what his spies in the department told him.


	3. Of Bloodlines and Bones

AN: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I've been taking what you've said into account and will add in more scenes of back story and how they got together as the story goes along. This chapter marks the founding of their little group. Luna has ended up with Neville in this one because she deserves a guy giving her his full attention and it just didn't work that well when I tried to fit her in with the others.

Also a very big thank you to steala who pointed out a very large mistake in the first chapter. This story does start in 1996 and not 1997. It's been fixed, sorry about that.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three – Of Bloodlines and Bones<strong>

_28th June 1996, Granger Household_

'_So, getting some money off of Sirius are you?_' Was scrawled along the edge of her private channel on the parchment. She sighed, when Blaise had suggested this and they handed her the Marauders map along with Sirius's mirror she hadn't expected to spend most of her summer writing on a bit of parchment and having her friends write back.

_'Yes, Erin, but that's not important._' She let the other girl hang on for a bit before having mercy and starting to scrawl runes down the side of the page. _'What do you think this does?'_ Half an hour of shared notes, scribbling, doodles and a bit of calculator aided arithmancy later and she finally got a response.

_'I'd need to confirm it, that's at least four different alphabets there, but I think it's some kind of attention redirecting ward. I've never thought of combining runic alphabets like that.'_ Hermione nodded before dropping her bombshell.

_'It was the ward on that book.' _She wrote down carefully. _'I can read it now, so hold experimenting till later, I've got an even bigger piece of work for you to look at. Ready?' _At the affirmative she erased the parchment with a verbal command and started drawing out the ritual circle with her geometry kit.

_'Shit.'_ Was written on the main channel. _'I'm going to have to get back to you that one. Harry, can you send Hedwig to Hermione's? I need some of her new reference books for this puzzle.'_ She smiled.

_'Blaise, you better have the book copying charms mastered by the time we get back. We're going to be using it a lot.'_ Hermione added to that. _'I got everything and then some. Even the books Hannah wanted. Without anything interesting. Or copy protection.' _ The others would know exactly what that meant. Signing off with a timestamp she deactivated the parchment and pulled the slim green book out again.

_'Family magic, or as it should be known Bloodline magic is one of the more emphasised benefits of being a pureblood in today's day and age. It is an inherent ability or, in some cases, sets of abilities similar in nature to those held by magical creatures, beings and others. What makes these abilities so interesting and a jumping off point for pureblood supremacy is that these abilities may be passed on down the generations, giving a valid reason as to why having magical parents can be superior after a child's Majority is reached.'_ Hermione sighed, she was only reading this again to confirm the theories stated made practical sense.

_'The emphasis is on the may. These abilities, for whatever have alignments similar to magical creatures and, just as you couldn't breed a merman with a selkie or a phoenix, you can't breed certain gifts with each other. It simply does not work. They either cancel out or you get a weakened version of one of them. Therefore, idealistically every member of a gifted Bloodline should marry a muggleborn in order to preserve their gifts._

_There is one documented case where this is thought to have occurred. The Potter family. Due to suspected curse involvement, they have always married a feisty young intelligent muggleborn or a Black, whose Bloodline abilities died off generations ago due to their tendency to keep things close to the family. _

_It is suspected that new bloodline abilities can be introduced via the sacrificial use of a magical creature or direct manipulation of a magical core. The rest of this book follows research on that area and studies of known bloodlines.'_

That definitely matched with what she'd noticed. She wasn't Padma, but even she could track the ever increasing rate of decline in magical power amongst the purebloods. The only exception had been the Potters. And they all remembered third year, when they'd found out just what the Wizengamot and it's Supreme Warlock had done when they'd found that out!

Still, she had a ritual to plan. If it worked, Daphne might be able to use it to some advantage and if it didn't she'd enjoy trying. She checked the rite's components once again.

_Core Destabilising Potion_ – Sent to Harry as a possible poison to look into.

_Extremely Magical Area_ – Room of Requirement

_Runic Circle and Tattoos_ – Check they do what they say it does.

Then there was the tricky part. The ritual required someone to, err, touch her magical core at the point of magical instability and then shape it or alter it in a way that would provide some sort of benefit. She was fairly sure Harry could do it with his studies in potions, and he'd been working on a perspective acceleration potion that hitched his occlumency into overdrive. That would give him more time to work on her core at the moment of release. She blushed. Convincing him to be intimate with her was going to be interesting, but so worth it.

She was just hoping she wouldn't have to mention the side effects. He'd hate the side effects. But with magic, there was always a cost and the powers of the potions and magic expended wasn't enough in this case. If she was honest with herself, she wanted the downside.

Then she realised something. They had an agreement on what could and couldn't be done with Harry before they decided amongst themselves. _Fuck._

Seven girls, all staking their claim to one guy, this was not what she'd expected all those years ago when she'd been dragged into this world for the first time...

_September 1st 1991_

Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Platform Nine and Three Quarters... There was Platform Nine, and there was Platform Ten. No ticket barrier, wall or otherwise, just the ends of a couple of ordinary trains. Hermione frowned as her parents muttered behind her. "This is just so illogical." She muttered while glaring at the signs.

Someone giggled. "Muggleborn, right?" She asked quickly as Hermione looked at her in shock. "Me too. Technically." The blonde haired, brown eyed girl said with a smile. "Even though my fathers a wizard, they don't count that. He keeps trying to convince me that I don't need to come here." She rolled her eyes.

"Errr," Hermione managed to get out. "It's just... I read..." The girl laughed.

"The first rule, never believe anything written in a magical history book." She frowned slightly. "Well, that's not the first rule. The first rule was..." Her eyes crossed. "Never catch a pureblood's attention. Ever. At least, that's what my Dad says." She smiled. "Oh, erm, where are my manners. I'm Hannah Abbot." She offered her hand.

"Hermione Granger." They both shook. "Friends?"

"Yeah, us witches have got to stick together you know."

"I'm never had a proper friend before." Hannah leant over to whisper in her ear.

"I'll let you in on a secret, I haven't either." They both giggled, bringing the Granger's attention back to the pair of them.

"Well..." Mr. Granger started, immediately reconsidering what he was going to say. They'd been given several books stressing the statue of secrecy. "We, erm, still haven't managed to find which platform your supposed to be leaving from, or anyone else in your group." The new girl their daughter seemed to be hugging grinned back up at them.

"It's at the ticket booth between platforms four and five." She said happily. Both parents blinked.

"Then why is called..."

"Wizards." The girl answered as though it explained everything, and started dragging Hermione off across the station.

"Hannah!" A blonde haired older women almost screamed when she saw them. "You scared me out of my wits, why did you have to sneak off like that?" She demanded of the slightly abashed younger girl.

"I just wanted to see if I could find anyone by platforms nine and ten." She muttered softly, staring at the floor. "Dad said I should be helpful to the others..."

Her mother sighed and looked up at the others. "Honestly, I hope she hasn't given you too much trouble."

"Nonsense." Mr. Granger extended a hand for her to shake. "We'd have been there ages trying to work out where the platform was if she hadn't come along." Hannah blushed at the praise.

"Just..." Hannah's mother sighed. "Just don't run off like that without warning me okay? I was worried about you. Now, onto the platform, both of you."

The two girls, smiled at each other and walked happily through the wall. All three parents, blinked, looked around and started wondering just where their daughters had gone. Walking through walls was an obvious impossibility.

OoooOoooO

"Hey!" Hannah yelled out as they approached the train, seeing a bunch of older people in green and silver robes jeering at a redhead. "Leave her alone!"

"Hey look it's another bunch of firsties." One of them sneered at them. "Obviously a bunch of Hufflepuffs." His mate tapped him arm as Hannah and Hermione glared.

"You're really rude you know, and there's nothing wrong with Hufflepuffs." Hermione answered, backing her friend up.

"Yeah." Hannah quickly as the redhead backed away towards them. The oldest one went for his wand. His mate stopped him and hissed something in his ear. He went pale.

"There you are Susan." A kind voice from behind them made the girls jump. "I swear Lord Malfoy gets more and more obnoxious each year." They turned to see an elderly lady smiling down at them. "Now, who are you two?" She asked with curiosity.

"Auntie..." The redhead whined. "Those boy's were being mean to me and they came along to help me."

"Well, that just shows you how important it is to always stick by your friends doesn't it." She turned to the pair of them. "I'm Amelia Bones and this is my niece, Susan." She hugged the girl in question who went flush with embarrassment.

"Hannah Abbot and..." She elbowed her friend.

"Oh, Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you." The elder women laughed and flicked her want at their trunks.

"A pleasure to meet you as well. I'll see you at Christmas, okay Susan?" She asked sweetly. "Now get on the train, all of you. Remember to write." The head of the DMLE watched the last of her line get on the great red train along with a new pair of friends. She truly hoped they were sorted into the same house. "Ah, to be young again." She chuckled as the bushy brown haired one squealed as she found the lightening charm on her trunk.

"Your aunt is awesome." Hannah summed up as they tried to settle into a carriage, the three of them having more difficulty reaching the overhead storage than lifting their trunks up there. Hermione, of course, had a book poking out the back of her carry bag.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Someone nervously asked from the doorway as they settled down and started discussing subjects. All three of them stopped to stare at the Indian girl. "I'll just..."

"No, come on in." Susan said quickly. "There's plenty of room."

"Thanks." She said with audible relief as Hannah went to help her with her trunk. "My twin found this other girl and they immediately started gossiping about Lockhart's latest book, it's really embarrassing." She half stared at the books they had out.

"We were just talking about subjects... Susan's really interested in Transfiguration." The red-head blushed.

"Oh, I'm Padma by the way." She introduced herself as she went to sit down and the train started moving. "Have you read Hogwarts: A History?" Everyone laughed as Hermione started blushing and the debate began again.

OoooOoooO

"-uick, quick, quick, come on." A black haired, Asian girl dragged her friend into their compartment. "Sit down." The blond, slightly stunned looking girl was pushed into the seat by the door as she pulled her wand. The others just looked on. "What was the incantation... _Ignorantia!_" Blue sparks shot from the end of her wand. "Didn't work, get down!" They ducked behind the compartment separator.

A blond haired boy stalked down the corridor as four witches gaped at the pair. The boy stopped, as did the two thick half-trolls standing next to them. He shot them a glance as if to say '_what are you looking at filth?_' before carrying on his arrogant inspection of the carriages.

"Is he gone?" The blonde asked as the girls attentions transferred back to them.

"Yeah." Hermione said softly, slightly scared at how right her first friend was being. "Who was that?"

"_Draco_." The black haired girl drawled. "_Draco Malfoy_. All round arrogant slimeball. With a load of money to get whatever he wants. I'm Blaise by the way and this is Daphne, once she gets her mind back in order." Daphne blinked.

"Hello." She said calmly as whatever mental lock down she had going on lifted. "My apologies for being a little catatonic earlier, I was trying something that didn't quite go as well as I expected."

"Oh," Hermione jumped in quickly, curiosity getting the better of her, "can I ask what?"

Daphne looked like a fish caught in a barrel. "Well, my... Occlumency barriers went a little weird." _'I was totally not failing to read his mind' _She repeated to himself. _'Not in the slightest.'_

"Occlumency?" The girls in the compartment perked up and a fun, amusing and giggle-ridden conversation occurred.

The screeching of train brakes made them panic as they searched for robes, laughing at the sight of others in partial states of undress. "You know, I don't care what House we get sorted into, we have to do this again." Hermione started hesitantly. They all clamoured their agreement. "How about..." Hermione plucked up, "How about the library, tomorrow morning before breakfast. We can get the prefects to take us so we know where it is before lessons start." They all nodded. It was that act that got her sorted into Gryffindor.

The next day, when Granger's Gremlins was picked as the their name in her honour, she could have died with embarrassment.

OoooOoooO

Harry Potter had the unfortunate honour of spending most of his train ride being talked at rather forcibly by an irritating red head who wouldn't take no for an answer and kept pressing himself on him as a _'friend'_. He'd faked the need for the toilet just to get out of there, and seen the empty compartments all around him.

Sat in one of those he pondered the red-heads rather transparent excuse of 'all the compartment where full' in a magically expanding train... Concluding that he needed to know far more about the wizarding world than he already did. Someone was trying to manipulate him into something, and the boy who had successful connived and convinced teachers to give him extra 'detentions' and forged his 'poor' report cards was not going to be fooled that easily.

OoooOoooO

_29th June 1996_

"It's nice to see Diagon Alley when there aren't so many wrackspurts around." Luna grinned as she tried to burrow deeper into Neville's arm. "It was so stuffy last time we were here, you could hardly breathe lest they start feeding on you."

Neville laughed, glad for the distractions as people stopped and stared at them. "Yes, but you know how the vast majority of the wizards and witches are completely defenceless to them."

"Well then, they should immunise themselves by reading the Quibbler shouldn't they!" She harrumphed.

The Longbottom matriarch followed behind them as they traded playful banter, ignoring the stares that followed them through the streets. She wondered if the pair knew just what effect they were having as some people stood up straighter while others nervously shuffled away. But that was politics and shifting of opinions. No one was quite sure who to believe any more, first He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named returning was the maddened dreams of an old and feeble man, dismissed from his posts and fermenting rebellion against the ministry. Then he was back, and Dumbledore's star was back into ascendancy as the Prophet report praised his swift action into halting He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named's failed assault on the Department of Mysteries.

For once in their worlds lives though, the actual events had been seen by far too many, and Potter's denouncements heard loud and clear. The Wizengamot where in quandary, with Voldemort all but admitting that no one could be imperioused into taking the mark several of their colleagues where on dodgy ground. But Fudge, being the great corrupt man that he was, was raking it in even as he the votes of no confidence amassed. Both she and Amelia had seen straight through his hastily rushed wartime footing that granted him immunity to prosecution for his actions.

The trouble was, the trouble was that the deaths of seven Death Eaters, four of them rumoured inner circle members and Sirius Black himself had died at the hands of six Hogwarts students. Then they'd injured He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Some saw it as the ascendant rise of Albus Dumbledore's apprentice, others saw them as the inner circle of the next Dark Lord. She'd heard the mutters, about a cover up and favouritism. But with no one willing to speak against the DMLE head at this time, it was left to Neville, Luna and the Weasley to shoulder the fallout.

So lost in thought she was that she didn't notice the curse until it was too late. Neville had though, and a shield sprung out of nowhere sending it into the sky. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief and an auror started running towards them someone started yelling. "Aurors, arrest that child for using his wand outside of school. A little bit of fame and he believes he can do whatever he likes."

"Hand over your wand boy." The Auror said sternly. Neville sighed and looked at his accuser. "I'm going to have to take you in."

"I'll give you a Poor on the execution Lord Nott, but a Troll on originality. Your Master has already used this ploy to try and discredit Mr. Potter. This one would never have been successful as the self defence clause would have been easily invoked." He looked around at the small crowd watching. "Had I been using a wand." He held his open hand palm up and a small silvery shield flickered in and out of existence above the glove he was wearing. "Casting without a wand is only covered by the Secrecy Act." He turned to the Auror standing open mouthed in front of him. "Be glad I have yet to get my replacement for the wand I broke in the battle, Auror, or I would have stunned you for your obvious disregard for public safety citing pre-emptive defence against a possible polyjuiced imposter."

"It's okay." Luna smiled sweetly. "All he was doing was acting on the recommendation of a **innocent **and _respected _member of the community." She held up her hand sweetly as everyone shuddered at her voice. There was something about Luna. "Your badge please?"

"Wh-What for?" He asked nervously.

"Why, for regulation seventeen of course, all complaints about Aurors must be proceeded by their name and badge number and you are required by law to give it to me." She smiled. Sweetly, before looking over her shoulder at a retreating figure. "Goodbye Mr. Nott. I hope he doesn't punish you for too long. You might miss the party."

"But I didn't do anything wrong." The Auror started as the entire crowd refocused their attention on him.

"You failed in your civic duty to maintain the peace when curses where fired, you did not chase the person responsible and you attempted to prosecute the aggrieved party and confiscate what would be most people's only means of defence, leaving them open to another attack. At which point did you do something right?" Neville demanded.

Augusta Longbottom had never been prouder of her son at that moment, except for when he casually demonstrated a wandless shield. That had been power. She almost couldn't believe she'd thought he was a squib!

"Give it up Dawlish." A newcomer to the fray said as he barged his way through the crowd and nodded to the two of them. "I'll take it from here you two."

"Thank you Auror Shacklebolt, me and my girlfriend will get back to shopping." Said girlfriend squeeeed and kissed him for that pronouncement, earning them a rather amused sigh from the crowd as everything slowly went back to normal.

"So, Ollivanders then the joke-shop?" Luna asked after a moment.

"You just want to prank Harry with stuff he funded, don't you?" Luna nodded blissfully, messed his hair up and ran off, leaving a bemused Neville to chase her. She had to make him work for those kisses or a Nigling might find them and that wouldn't be fun at all!

OoooOoooO

Sir Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class, defeater of Grindlewald, Lord of the Light and several other things, had a problem not even calming-draught laced lemon drops seemed to be helping. The problem was both small and large at the same time. How to inform Harry Potter of his necessary destiny in a way that would guarantee he met it?

He had planned to tell the boy after Sirius' death, telling the aggrieved and lonely child that the fate of the world rested on his shoulders followed by a couple of months at the Dursley's would surely create and enforce a Martyr complex. Then he could be rid of the meddling Evans line that had set his plans back by years and remove the insulting smear that was the Potters attraction to the muggleborn as well as securing his power base.

Not that he had any problems with the muggleborn, he was all for them really. But the Potters, even with their sullied bloodline, should have married into the proper families, preserving their gifts. Just like the Dumbledores had, bar the mistake his father had made. Though he had to admit, having sparkling eyes that could occasionally tell if someone was lying was nowhere near as impressive a gift as the Lestrange's had been or the Malfoy's was.

There he went again, off on a tangent. The true problem, he pronounced to himself in regards to Potter. The true problem was the company he took. With their muggle idea of war as something other than a game between Lords. But that could be sorted. A few words to Molly, the correct supply of potion ingredients and it was as good as done. Hermione would then fall over to please Ron and sow the seeds of jealousy and distrust. Yes, that should break them up nicely. Then he could swoop in on the poor lonely Chosen One. Oh how he loved having loyal followers who held the utmost faith in him due to the aura of trust his Lordship of the Light conveyed to him.

A most useful thing that, and the primary reason he and his followers could stand against the Dark Lord and his own aura of terror while everyone else fled or died before him. That was why the fight between him and the Dark Lord was a game between them, why he could hold three great positions of authority with ease and why, come to think of it, everyone always believed whatever he proclaimed. Sort of like his academic achievements really. Best in his year certainly, but the highest grades ever? Only because they'd lowered the standards that year and he knew it.

Dumbledore popped another lemon drop into his mouth, dismissing that line of thought. Now, he just had to work out how to put the prophecy to Potter and stop him from killing off more bloodlines. His work in the ministry was a disaster! They should have been redeemed and taken oaths to his cause! Though even he had to admit that Bellatrix was too far gone when she placed a killing curse on her Head of House. Sighing, he reached for the genealogy books. He had to resurrect those old gifts somehow, they were far too few to waste.

OoooOoooO

"But Muuuum..." Ron complained to his mother. "What's the point of having an exemption if I can't use it?"

"It is solely for use in case you get attacked," Molly Weasley started loudly. "I don't know what they where thinking offering you young children some kind of mock authority and badges, I am damn glad I declined that if this is your attitude."

"But Harry is probably out taking out Death Eaters or getting girls or something." Ron tried to complain.

"Harry Potter is a highly sensible young man who is probably quite content sitting behind the exceedingly powerful wards Dumbledore created for him. This isn't chess Ronald!" She cooled for a second as a glint entered her eye. "We're having an Order meeting soon to discuss Sirius' will, so maybe, if you can clean this room before I leave I'll consider taking you." Ron's mouth opened. "You can even use your wand." It snapped shut again.

Ron stared hard at the piles of washing up and dirty surfaces that made up the kitchen. Raising his wand he took a deep breath. Held it. Breathed out. He glared at the dishes. They wouldn't beat him. "Mom, what was the cleaning charm again?" He asked nervously.

"I'm off now dear, Ginny, look after your brother. Twelve Grimmauld Place!" Ron scowled. Who needed to know how to clean dishes anyway, all you needed was a shield and a stunner. It's all he'd needed in the Department of Mysteries after all. He'd even saved... errr. He blanked, every memory was of his ass being pulled out of the fire instead of the other way round, so just settled for his imagination.

It was fortunate indeed that Ron had never heard of life debts, or he might have been a little worried.

OoooOoooO

_July 8th 1996, Bones Manor_

Susan jerked upright as her wards tingled. For a moment she stared blankly into the twilight, before someone blew the outer door up with a Reductor. "What part of stealth did you not understand?" An unfamiliar voice yelled as Susan jumped quickly out of bed, grabbing her wand from under her pillow. A prod of the wand, and her duvet resembled her.

"Against some pathetic student, do you really think it's necessary?" Susan frowned, grabbed a parchment from her desk to make a sheet over her clone and disillusioned herself as the door slammed open. "_Avada Kedavra_." She gulped as the green bolt of light blasted the transfigured body. That could have been her. "See, nothing to it."

"Check the body you idiot." The second one said with a sigh, finally stepping into the room. "The Dark Lord will kill us if she shows up alive later. Susan swallowed, trying to ignore the urge to be sick as her wand slowly extended into the darkness to touch the second death eaters robe. She just hoped there was only two of them.

"_Lumos_" The first one said as Susan transfigured the male's robes, the buckle and tie turning into fine silver wire that tore through his throat. The gargling was disgustingly loud.

Verily Vance had been a death eater for three months, joining her compatriots in an act of disgust and defiance of the idiocy of the wizarding world and the influx of questioning, rude mudbloods who wouldn't accept their place in things. She'd only gotten an acceptable in her Defence OWL but that didn't matter anymore. As a pureblood she was infinitely better than those muggles she'd killed on raids. Her mind just couldn't accept that five on one odds had anything to do with that success. Yet now, sent to kill a young teen, her partner had dropped to the ground dead, and there was a completely mutated looking body with a charred hole blasted through it on the bed. There was a blur in the corner. She cast the worst possible spell. "_Avada-_"

Susan's silent reducto splattered her brains across the wall.

The wand rolled across the blood coated floor as its owner dry heaved, trembling violently. Fumbling she managed to reach the pack of vials Harry insisted they all carried. The memory didn't even bring a smile any more. _'Harry?'_ Luna had asked. _'What do we need a calming potion for?'_ His eyes had taken on that far away look. _'You'll know when it happens.'_

Drawing a deep breath, she picked her wand back up, wiped the blood on her nightie and slipped on her shield glove. She could break down later, her aunt needed to see she was safe.

OoooOoooO

Her first reducto missed. But then, she wasn't Harry and couldn't hit shit past ten meters. She knew that, and scampered behind a pillar.

"_Diffindo!_" Blinking away a tear, she grinned. Her aunt was alive and fighting. Everything was going to be all right. A piece of marble blasted past the side of her head. Shit!

"Davies, heal yourself, I'll take care of the girl, the rest of you kill that bitch." Someone yelled.

"Bugger." Susan whispered quietly. The pillar wouldn't hold up much longer and she couldn't win this one with quicksand. Or could she? What had he said to Blaise the first time she won by doing that? '_If she can sink you into quicksand, she can just as easily turn the ground into a six foot steel spike through your body' _ a step back from the pillar, she touched her wand to its edge, "_Reparo._"

"Don't you dare touch my niece, you bastards!" Amelia roared as a pulse of something distracted the one blasting her for a moment.

"I'm okay auntie." Susan said softly as her wand slid down the pillar, turning it to glass. "I've got this." Her wand touched the floor and she started visualising with intent to kill. "_Transmogrify._"

Nott fended off another attack from behind and snarled, slamming a reducto towards that bloody pillar. He was going to take that cute little bint and rape her until she begged for it. Maybe, if he'd taken his eyes off of the hot figure behind that blood drenched nightdress, he'd have noticed the ripple propagating through the floor, or the 'cowering' girl's look of intense concentration. He didn't.

The next-in-command took one look at his leader and the eight foot long granite spike that was coated in his blood before the momentary distraction caused him to catch a cutting curse to his side.

The two remaining death eaters yelled "Death is Done!" and the bodies vanished.

The old women and her recently graduated apprentice stepped slowly out from behind cover, wands darting everywhere. "That is one nasty piece of work." Tonks muttered softly to herself as she took in the spike. Another Auror sprinted through the doors before coming to a shell shocked stop.

"It was supposed to be steel." Susan managed to say before falling flat on her face.

"Susan!" Madame Bones sprinted to her niece, grabbing her tight. Death glares reached her compatriots. "Get that anti-apparition ward down now."

"Yes sir." They both snapped to attention. "Are review meetings always like this?" A nervous Tonks asked her partner. He shot her a horrified look.

"Merlin, no." Shacklebolt said with a sigh, remembering the other four that had been assigned as guards that night and died in the fighting. "This is a nightmare."

OoooOoooO

_Two days later..._

"Ah, you're awake." The kind looking healer said with a smile. Susan snapped upright, searched quickly, and glared suspiciously at the man in medical robes.

"Where's my wand?" She asked sharply. The healer took a couple of steps back.

"Your aunt has it." He answered quickly. "Look, it's not often we get a student in from magical exhaustion over the holidays."

"I have an exemption." She answered quickly, trying to get out of bed.

"Stop that! Now we'll need to keep you for-" He stopped as a wand suddenly entered his line of sight.

"We told you to tell us when she woke." A bubblegum pink haired girl rounded on the Healer. "so I think you're done here." She flashed her Auror badge in his direction. "Wotcher kid, my boss told me to tell you 'tulip green fields', whatever that means." Susan nodded and relaxed. It was the safe phrase of the month.

"Let's get out of here then." She held her arm up to the Auror.

OoooOoooO

"You could have gotten her some clothes first." Amelia said with a glare at her minion. Susan just held out her hand.

"Hey, she insisted on coming straight here." Tonks tried to defend as Susan took her wand back. Two taps later and she had her favourite outfit on. At the adults amazed look she picked up a paperclip, tapped it and tied her flaming red hair back with the newly formed scrunchie.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"You wake up, suffering from magical exhaustion, and the first thing you do is transfigure yourself some clothes?" Amelia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Transfiguration is my speciality." She said with a curtsy, tucking her wand up her sleeve. "Now, can we get what happened out the way before I have to eat something? I really don't want to be sick again."

"Okay, tell us what happened from your perspective, and we'll tell you the results." Tonks said, as she activated the recording quill. "Oh and this is Auror Tonks recording witness testimony for the Bones Manor Assault of 1997. Witness is Reserve Auror Susan Bones, resident. The Head of the DMLE is in attendance."

"Well, I woke up when my personal wards tripped, and hearing voices I didn't recognise."

"Wait, personal wards?" Amelia asked with a frown.

"Yeah, well, with the exemption we've got I figured I'd practice my defence teacher's assignment before we went back to Hogwarts." Susan said with a blush.

"Umbridge set an assignment on warding?" Tonks asked suspiciously.

"I said 'my defence teacher', not Umbridge." Susan said sheepishly, as the adults exchanged looks. "Anyhow, they launched the Killing Curse at my bed the moment they entered, so we duelled and I, err, had to use lethal force as I was outnumbered and they'd already used Unforgivables..." She trailed off looking for reassurance.

"What happened then?" Tonks asked as Amelia smiled and nodded.

"Well, then I took a calming draught, after I'd finished being sick." She looked down at her feet. "It was a little disgusting. Then I grabbed my shield bracer and tried to find my aunt. She was pinned down in the main hall and, coming up behind the death eaters I shot a curse at them." She hugged herself. "Which missed. So I had to take cover and, well, I transfigured a bit of the ground into a spike to impale the one trying to kill me and they all dis-apparated. I think. Then I fainted. I'm not quite sure why it took so much out of me."

"Well, it was granite for one, and spelled to resist transfiguration for another. Thank you for your statement, that collaborates with what everyone else has seen so far, excluding the portkey activation phrase." And with that Tonks knocked the quill down. "Unofficially, bloody good work back there." She reached over to ruffle the girl's hair.

"Hey." She snarled, before her aunt dropped a leather gauntlet inlaid with swirling silver runes. Susan grabbed it almost immediately and slid it onto her wrist. "Thanks, I was wondering if I'd get this back." She said before blasting it with a quick _Ignorantia _to hide the designs from most people. Tonks had to catch her as she swayed.

"Now, ignoring the fact that you're carrying around a class one unregistered artefact would you mind telling me just what that thing does?" Amelia asked with a frown as she noted how it just happened to be a perfect fit.

"Erm, it's a shield bracer for my offhand. It's a secondary foci, kind of. It's specialised for a single spell, even if it's not quite a Protego Reflexio yet. They're working on it though. Only deflects reductors, doesn't reflect them." She yawned. "I'd show you but I'd probably knock myself out again. And we don't have to register it, because it's an enchanted item. We checked."

Amelia rubbed her temples, muddling through what her niece had just said. "But enchanted items only applies when it's just charm work, or the creator is still alive." She frowned as a thought struck her. "You know someone who can make these?" Her niece nodded. This was going to take some time in the penseive.

"Sorry if this is a little bit random." Susan asked after her aunt was silent for a while. "But do you know why Harry and Neville always seem to outlast the rest of us? I just, well, felt a little inadequate yesterday."

Tonks coughed into her hand. "Well, err. Those two are rather powerful but, just humour me and think about all the really powerful people you know." Susan nodded. "Now how many of them are women."

"One?" Susan asked nervously.

"And she's old, correct?" The girl nodded. "Precisely. It's not something that's common knowledge, thank Merlin, but for some reason most male cores have a slow continuous growth while ours don't. Not until we finish menstruation. On the other hand, female dark wizards get access to some rather interesting rituals that males don't." Tonks gave a wonky half-smile. "Because sex had to come in there at some point." They all chuckled. "Most people don't notice the difference because our control is almost always better after practising for so long, so we don't have to put in as much power in to get the same result." Susan nodded.

"That explains Ron's casting style." She giggled. "I swear he tries to get through on brute force and fails because he doesn't have any."

"Having seen some of his exam reports, I have to agree." Amelia said with a sigh. "The difference comes when you get wizards who learn the control that comes naturally to us. Then you get wizards like Harry, Neville, Dumbledore and... him. The truly scary thing is that while Dumbledore was only ever of average power so relies on his age, Thomas Riddle and Mister Potter are not. Though the former never seems to show it." They sat in an uneasy silence for a moment as paper shuffled in place on the desk.

"All right, Tonks. You're on escort duty while I sort this mess out." She handed her niece a couple of sickles. "Maybe you can go to the ice cream parlour or something." Her niece's eyes glinted, dragging Tonks straight out of the ministry towards the book store instead.

OoooOoooO

Croaker from the Department of Mysteries, slid into the room, straight into the Amelia's wand. "Now, there's no need for that." The disguised voice said happily, "Surely you can see why we're interested in the five of them and their friends now."

"What did you get off that artefact, she was a little too happy to get it back." Amelia snapped at the designated Unspeakable liaison. "And I really don't think my child belongs with your little group of megalomaniacs down there. Children in the Hourglass chamber and Veil room, what the hell where you thinking?"

"An evaluation of course, you'd be surprised how quickly they worked out each rooms properties, it's a shame that Pluto is not really a planet though. The muggles will be disappointed." He sighed. "That glove was a purely protective will activated shielding foci. Very impressive work for one so young." He sighed.

Madame Bones glared. "What are you planning?" She asked sternly.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, but I'll give you a little hint. The runes on that gauntlet where made of enchanted silver." She tried to make out if he was smiling under that robe of his as he put a list of names on the table. "If you'd extend the underage exemptions to these five, the department would appreciate it."

"What is this based on?" She had to ask as she read it over. _Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini, Erin Mantle, Hannah Abbot_ and _Padme Patil_. "And why are they all female, more importantly what justification do I have?"

"Owl results and elective choices." He answered calmly. "Chance, and a provisional job offer from the Department of Mysteries, subject to NEWT results. The other five have also gotten offers from us."

She looked warily at him. There had been six at the ministry and- Ron didn't have a glove now that she remembered it. Of course she hadn't noticed it then, not if they all had at least one Notice-me-not on them. _Ignorantia _had been the one her neice used. She did the maths but ten wasn't a mystical number. Two fives perhaps? "I'll add in a temporary auror badge and offer, but consider it done." She relented eventually.

The Croaker went to leave. "Oh, and enchanted silver is also known as quickened silver, the first alchemical metal ever created. Primarily used for alchemical tools, artificial limbs and limited enchantments. It's fairly expensive as there are very few practitioners of the lost art left, even fewer are willing to make or sell it." He said before the door shut silently.

Staring down at the list in front of her she mentally appended five more before swearing quietly. "Just what have you gotten yourself into, Susan, when the group of madmen proclaiming to have 'much better things to do than take over the world' take an interest in you and have you fighting Inner Circle members as an evaluation?" She froze for a second, remembering the ease with which she'd transfigured things, and the glove-artefact-thing. _'first alchemical metal ever created'. _That meant that one of them was an alchemist. A self-taught alchemist, she corrected. All at the age of sixteen. "Well fuck me." She said softly, and started filling out forms.

OoooOoooO

_'Magical Maturity, the seventh severe restructuring of the core follows the previous trends of increasing instability and potency. Theoretically, a powerful enough witch or wizard will tear themselves apart from within at this stage, even with the stabilising effect of the seventh iteration. Calculating the resonances for the weakest of wizards clearly shows that an eighth would produce catastrophic magical failure in the core.'_ Hermione blinked, and re-read the paragraph. A moment of instability, combined with the potion... she'd need Harry to stabilise it afterwards, if it could be stabilised, of course, but combine the two and she had the date set for her Bloodline ritual.

_'This is a very important stage for any wizard or witch's life because with it comes the firm establishment of magical bonds. Any made prior to that date will be severed if the magic user does not agree with them, but any kept or made afterwards are permanent. Of special note are soul bonded lovers for if they have not consummated their relationship by then the bond will disintegrate, allowing them to look elsewhere. Loyalty Bonds, Magical Contracts, Sovereignty and Lordship are also determined at this time, hence the age of seventeen as the age of maturity. For only if both parties are of age can any magical oath be guaranteed.'_

While useful, she still couldn't quite see why the goblins had given her a book on 'Bonds and Lordship'. Then she reached the end of the chapter and she shivered. _'Bonds formed at such a moment are believed to be irrevocable, even lasting past death and all attempts to sever them.'_

The goblin's words rung like a death knoll in her mind. _'Have you been claimed yet?'_ With a sigh, she knew there would be only one answer.

_'Completely.'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks again to everyone who's commented. Please leave one if there's anything you want to know or any bit of the backstory you want to know and I'll try and work it into an upcoming chapter.<br>**

**That said, general encouragement is always welcome :P**

**Thanks for reading.**


	4. The Lord Ascendant

_AN: This chapter is significantly longer than the others, mostly because it contains the obligatory will scene and I didn't want to split it._

_agnar: Thanks for pointing out my mistake with the names. Your other comment will be addressed next chapter as there are quite a few differences in what is common knowledge and what can be brought from a 'Dark' dealer. _

_Also, as I see it, Albus Dumbledore is far past his prime._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four – The Lord Ascendant...<strong>

_July 11th 1996, Abbot Residence_

Hannah had an exemption. From the decree of reasonable under-age sorcery and a stack of papers. A young women with bubblegum pink hair had turned up handed them to her, and then asked where her wand was. So now she was pacing back and forth like a caged animal in front of her fathers office while he interrogated the Auror.

Then she'd get her wand back. She had an exemption. So the reason she'd given was invalid so she could start testing... She bit her lip. This wasn't going to work. She'd been so good at ignoring it. Even when Hermione had asked when she'd wanted _those _books she'd asked for. For some reason. And had even thanked her for teaching her those curses. It had, it had just been for research purposes! She didn't expect to. Didn't expect to, well, use them. If they all went dark it could be her fault! She paled. There had to be some way of stopping it.

The door opened and the strange pair emerged. Tonks grinned like an idiot as she saw her pacing back and forth. Blushing like an idiot she just stood there as the auror leant down and whispered in her ear. "Your first orders: Study everything your defence teacher suggested." She wiggled her eyebrows and then beat a hasty retreat.

"What was that about?" Her father asked with a strange look in his eyes. She gulped.

"Just a bit of advice. About practising." She added at her fathers stare. "I'm not going to do any permanent damage! Just wards and charms practise." Fiddling nervously with a strand of hair she looked back up at amused eyes.

He nodded. "Go ahead then."

Hannah gleefully ran back into her room, flipped open the book Hermione had mailed her and started reading. She did the first few exercises fine, but she just had to test one of her defensive wards. Placing it carefully around a glass full of water she stepped back and fired.

Elation raced through her veins as it held off her first spell. Then she tried again, and again and- blinking the moisture from her eyes she realised just what she'd done. "_Reparo_" she muttered softly before turning the wand on herself. _"Scourgify, scourgify, scourgify..." _But it didn't work, did it. The addiction was still there, stronger now she'd used it again, without even realising it.

Crying, the magically exhausted girl slipped into an uneasy sleep. Hopefully her friends would be able to help her. Like they always helped each other.

OoooOoooO

_3rd September 1991, Hogwarts Library_

Blaise was trembling as Daphne dragged her towards the table at the back of the library. "Are you sure about this? What if Snape finds out we're talking to them again?"

"He won't." Daphne reassured her friend, snarling at a third year who looked at them strangely. "We're going to do this right."

"Are you two okay?" Hannah asked quickly the moment she saw them, Hermione waved absently without looking up from her book, notes scattered all over the table.

"We've been ordered to stay away from other houses 'if we know what's good for us'." Daphne imitated Snape's drawl before glaring at the rest of the library. "No one has the right to tell me who my friends are and mess with my mind." She snarled.

"Easy for you to say." Blaise said with a faint smile, "You weren't pinned against a wall by Goyle and informed how idiotic we where to talk to a Gryffindor mu-" She stopped and gulped. "Sorry." She said in a small voice. "I'm not sure what came over me."

"This doesn't make any sense." Hermione stated as she looked up from her book. "Surely the teachers want to promote House unity? The sorting hat's song was all about it."

"Yeah, well. Snape doesn't, at least." Daphne slid a piece of parchment onto the table. "He also favours his own house, these are the chapters to read before the lesson and the additional books we'll need to be successful in Potions." She stated as calmly as she could. "I wish would could stay friends but if Malfoy sees us..." She trailed off. "He'd make our lives a nightmare."

"But you can't leave us!" Hannah snapped out quickly.

"They won't, we just have to stop them from seeing us." Hermione flipped her book open again. "I found that spell you tried to use on the train." She slid the book in their direction. "_Ignorantia, _the unremarkable charm. That would do it, right?"

"But none of us can cast it!" Blaise said quickly, "It's supposed to be a fourth year spell that my mum started trying to teach me to help me with boys." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"When Padma gets here, we'll go and ask Professor Flitwick if he can help us with it. Then, when we're done the rest of us can learn it." Daphne nodded.

"That should work." She said softly. "But they might just read it from our minds." She looked around edgily. "I could have sworn Snape did that to Blaise earlier."

"Wizards can do that?" Hermione asked with wide eyes. Daphne nodded.

"Yeah, so I'll have to teach everyone how to defend against it if this is going to work. It should let us see through the notice-me-not as well as resist compulsion..." She trailed off as her eyes lit up. "I wondered what that was. Blaise, we're going to the hospital wing to get checked over. I wouldn't put it past that bastard to put compulsions on us." Daphne's mind ran with thoughts of her father killing Snape in various inventive ways. There were some disturbing things going on in this school.

"Okay..." Hermione said quietly as they left. "Right, mind reading lessons," she muttered to herself as she added it to her timetable. "I'm off to try to find some books on it. Or Occlumency, I think she mentioned that on the train."

Hannah just chuckled as she looked over the girl's timetables and lists of questions. "I swear she's worse than Padma with those things."

OoooOoooO

_July 11th 1996, 4 Privet Drive_

A nervous, disillusioned Harry poked his head round the side of his window to see Tonks, in his back yard poking his detection ward with her wand. Taking a step back for a moment, he remembered what she'd done the last time this happened. It had taken half an hour to get the flour out of his hair!

"Would you stop poking your wand into my barrier?" He yelled down. Tonks stopped midway, mind seizing up at the image before staring up at the deadly serious emerald eyed teen.

"I thought... that's your job. I don't have the-" She said quickly, hair flickering from blonde to white as she snapped her mouth shut. "I did not just say that." She said quietly. "Erm, can I come up?"

"I'll get the door, and no pranks this time." He said sternly.

"So that's what that was for," she mumbled to herself as she made her way round to the front. "Anyhow, your weekly watcher schedule, newspaper delivery and stack of job offers." Harry's head jerked up. "Just kidding, you've only got one. The Department of Mysteries has taken an interest in you and your nine friends. Something that's irking my boss no end. She wants you all to herself. Well, at least until you go it alone."

Frowning Harry leafed over the mass of blurry shimmering paperwork, the only legible bit being the confidentiality contract at the back. Turning his attention back to the schedules he sighed. "How did they work out who we were?" He commanded, eyes widening as he read about the attack on Bones Manor.

"They claimed it was by looking at your OWL results, the DoM have a special mandate that allows them to get the results raw as it were. We're not quire sure about Erin though, nine is a lot nicer number, magically. Though just having Luna as a friend in the year below would be weird." Tonks was a little nervous, and it showed as she fidgeted under his stare.

"Why are you telling me this? Not that I don't appreciate the help you and Amelia, I just want to know why." He kept her gaze on her as she paled a little, and shuddered. "I need to know I'm not signing up with another Dumbledore." He said softly.

Tonks sighed and pulled herself back together. "Look, I'm really sorry about this, but do you think you could do something for me, first?" She asked quietly, and a little nervously. At his nod she knelt in front of him. "_I, Nymphadora Tonks do offer, of my own free will, my wand and loyalty to you as my lord, till death or you release my service_." She held her wand up to him, handle first.

Uneasy at the formal wording, he took the proffered wand, trying to remember more of Daphne's lessons. "_I, Harry James Potter,_" was always a good start. "_do accept your fealty and service._"

"So Mote It Be." Tonks intoned after a pause.

"_So Mote It Be._" Harry finish and swirly gold motes flowed from the wand he was holding over her. "Erm, rise, I guess. And you'd better have your wand back. Not much point in being an Auror without it." He muttered softly being getting a little annoyed. "Now, do you mind telling me what just happened."

Tonks raised her hands. "Nothing you wouldn't have gotten into as my Head of House." she said quickly. "Well, other than it overriding my Auror oaths and allowing you to call me up as kind of women-at-arms. Right, beginnings. I, err, guess you're not really used to magical oaths and all that?"

Harry shook his head and she continued. "Neither was I until Amelia explained it to me. What I just swore was a fealty oath. The words don't really matter so much as the intent, though wording is important in what you can ask of me. The basic premise is though, I can't willingly betray you, probably shouldn't lie to you and you can call on me to fight at your side in any battles. Legally you're also technically responsible for my actions and are now my magical guardian, I think. So don't go accepting just anyone's oath. The polite way to reject someone is to state 'your service is not required, go in peace' or something."

"The good thing is that as my lord, I can tell you pretty much everything, as the confidentiality agreements in the ministry are all worded so I won't drop dead if I learn something where not telling you would count as betrayal. Lawyers are nice like that." She said with a smile. "Of course, I am now required to infirm them who my Lord is before I sign anything, but who cares about that?" She asked rhetorically.

Frowning in concentration Harry tried to work through what she'd said. "So you've just sworn yourself to me as a servant?"

"Nah, more like a warrior or follower. Honour bound to aid you in times of need and stuff. If you asked me to clean your shoes, I'll still tell you to shove 'em where the sun doesn't shine. Oh, and I can blatantly disobey your orders. All it means is that I can't stab you in the back and will fight for you if asked. Which I'd have done anyway."

"Okay, so nothing has really changed. Good. What was it you needed this to tell me about?" Harry sunk into a couch and relaxed a little, gesturing for Tonks to do the same.

"Well, there's a group of us that are loyal to you milord." Harry's eyes snapped to her. "Sorry Harry." She said quickly. "But you're going to have to get used to it, there will be others that will want to side with you instead of Dumbledore or, err, the other guy. We're a little short on factions at the moment and the combined Houses of Black and Potter make up a significant new one." She tried to explain. "Yeah, you're going to be Lord Black by the time you're back at Hogwarts and there's nothing sensible you can do about it. The will reading's in twelve days." She passed him a small photo.

"A portkey that will take me to Gringotts?" He asked, recognising the magic for what it was. Tonks nodded.

"Actually it will take you to the Leaky Cauldron entrance an hour before the reading starts. It was the least I can do for my Head of House. They've finally stopped portkeys directly to the Alley and warded the place after Bones Manor was attacked."

Harry leant back and closed his eyes. "I was hoping I could avoid the responsibility for another year." He said softly. "I assume the goblins reinstated you with Sirius' will?"

Tonks nodded. "You know about the Head of House responsibilities? Me and Amelia where sure you would have been kept in the dark about those."

"I have a very good teacher, and an avid researcher on my side. I know a lot of things Dumbledore wouldn't like." Harry confirmed with a smile.

"Good, means I don't have to explain things like Sovereignty or the magically binding contracts of Great Britain and the Wizengamot and Wizenmeet to you. You have no idea how glad I am for that. Pulling out a small book from the pockets of her robe she handed it to him. "Have a miniaturised copy of laws and how they'll affect you and yours. You technically fall under both the Head of House rules and Land Holding Lords rules, though the second one is debatable until you come into your parents inheritance. The House of Black is not what it once was but your mother was a bloody genius at contracts and economics. Probably why Dumbledore tried so hard to get her on his side." She sighed. "There's also our notes on just how badly the purebloods have tried to screw your family over the years."

"I'll see how it matches up with my version later." He said with a sigh. "Dumbledore is going to have a fit once he realises just what Sirius and I have been keeping from him, isn't he?"

The doorbell rang before Tonks had a chance to answer, and Harry rose to get it shooting a meaningful look at Tonks. Wand by his side, he still managed to be surprised by the girl shaped projectile that hug-tackled him back down the corridor. "Hannah, what are you doing here?" He asked softly as she cried into his arms. "There wasn't an attack or anything was there?"

"No. I just... I just got my wand back and..." She trailed off as she saw the Auror who'd given her the exemption behind him.

"Tonks, it would probably be for the best if you got went back on watch." He hugged the long haired brunette tight. "And tell no one that she was here today."

The young women's hair switched to pink as she smiled. "Yeah, we were pretty much done anyway. Don't do anything I wouldn't be able to do milord."

Harry sighed, and looked down at the recovering girl in his arms. "She's a rascal, isn't she?"

"That was your Order watcher wasn't it?" Hannah babbled slightly. "I've gone and screwed everything up, haven't I?"

"It's fine, it's fine." He whispered in her ear. "She's on our side, luckily. Now what's bothering you?"

"I don't have to reach for them any more. The Dark Spells, even without the emotions they just rise out of me." She shuddered. "I'm worried Harry, what if I go Dark and bring it down for everyone. What if the addictions not the only thing wrong with those spells. I mean, I mean end up like Riddle! All ugly and... disgusting. Killing people because I can't stop myself. I just..."

"It'll be okay. We won't let you turn into that, you know that." He tried to reassure her, "Hermione will work up a schedule or something, to wean you off them, and we'll stop learning and practising them. Maybe you can find another speciality. Or take over potions?"

Hannah gave him a look of abject horror and the conversation started turning to less serious things.

OoooOoooO

_23rd July, Outside the Leaky Cauldron_

Half balanced on one leg, Harry gave a precarious look of triumph and fell flat on his arse. "Well, that went better than the last portkey you tried." Daphne smirked, tucking her sunglasses into her top pocket as she helped him to his feet. "And I was expecting you to arrive by taxi. You do have formal robes on you, don't you?"

"Yes, back-right pocket and it's lovely to see you again too." He joked. "Are you going to be coming with us, or is it still too early for that?"

"Too early." Daphne sad sadly. "So I'm going on a shopping spree around London while you enjoy the stuffy atmosphere of a Gringotts court room." He nodded. "If it goes as I suspect, be sure to get a vault access test for the group of you as is your right as a Head of House. Arrange one for the rest of us on our next visit as well, they're more than worth it if we can find even one grimoire in an abandoned vault." Harry kept on nodding, committing everything to memory.

"Wotcher Harry, sorry I couldn't make it earlier. Dumbledore's trying to tie me and Remus up with Order stuff so we can't come and get you." Tonks said quickly as she jogged up to the group standing in the middle of the street. "Mrs. Greengrass." Tonks nodded respectfully in her direction. "Harry, errr..."

"Tonks, I would like you to meet Daphne Greengrass, one of my most trusted friends." Harry said, "Daphne this is Auror Tonks, the go between with our allies in the ministry."

"Pleasure to meet you." Tonks said rapidly. "But I really need to go, Moody should bugger off in about ten-fifteen minutes so you can get through in your invisibility cloak then." She gulped. "I'll see you at the trial milord." A half bow later and she ran towards the threshold of the Leaky Cauldron, somehow tripping _through_ the door.

"Milord?" Daphne asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She swore a retained battle wizard's oath to me as a way of getting round of couple of contracts." He pulled out the shrunken book Tonks had given him. "I've only had the briefest of looks at the legal specifics, so I was going to hand it to Hermione for research. Unless you'd rather take a look at them?" Daphne had gone dead still.

"Was the oath successful?" She demanded.

Harry shrugged. "Well, there was swirling gold motes and some form of magical binding going on so I think it was."

Daphne took the book edgily, letting out the breath she'd been holding. "You do realise that this makes you a recognised Lord and all that entails, don't you?" Daphne asked dangerously. "This... this changes things." At Harry's look she added. "There is a book, buried deep in one of the ministry departments that maintains a list of all Lords claiming England as their Sovereign nation. Ask Padme why because I have no idea what it's doing there. The point is that it will now have three names on it: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Thomas Marvolo Riddle and Harry James Potter."

"And this is a problem because?" Harry asked.

"Magical Britain is stuck in the seventeenth century, but the Sovereignty magic that runs it was formed... somewhere in the end of Merlin's era when magical lords had a lot of power." She explained slowly. "As such, they have quite a few privileges and exemptions that the rest of us don't have and no one can remove them." She closed her eyes for a second, flickering through memories of lessons her father had given her. "Here it is. What we call Lords today were known as Magi, Grand Sorcerers and other names. Wizards that, by whatever means, have managed to accumulate a number of followers bound to them by oath and magic. No one's quite sure what you have to do to qualify for one or how they get their powers but you do have to be less powerful than the Lord to swear an oath to him or her." She blinked.

"Well. Shit." Harry said softly. "Does this change anything?"

"Not for this summer, hopefully no one will look at the dusty old thing. It's only of interest to the odd intelligence agent. It would be nice to know who your followers are though."

"Just Tonks so far." Harry frowned. "Though she said I was also going to be her Head of House by the end of the day." Daphne nodded.

"That was expected. It also means there shouldn't be any noticeable change in your abilities. Now, if you'll excuse me, instead of shopping I'm going to spend the next couple of hours working out just what the hell you've gotten yourself into this time." She practically growled at him.

"I'll make it up to you some when." He said softly and her glare softened.

"You had better." She threw his invisibility cloak at him. "Thanks for letting me borrow that. Now go and piss off the old bastard."

"Yes my Lady." Harry said meekly, not noticing the smile on Daphne's face as she walked off.

OoooOoooO

Harry sat calmly in the hearing chamber with straight back and calm expression as the others filed in. Dumbledore and the Weasleys sat themselves across the other side of the chamber, unwittingly making a bold political statement by their ignorance. Remus was next, taking a position in the central area with dark rings under his eyes. Only when Neville and Luna walked in, arms entwined and strode straight past the Order's group did Dumbledore finally notice him.

"Harry?" He asked questioningly. "Harry, my boy, there was no need to come all the way here for this, I am more than happy to take care of things and spare you the pain of Sirius's death." Harry stood as Neville and Luna seated themselves on his right and a very harassed looking Tonks entered.

"Yes, headmaster. You have been more than happy to take _care_ of things and I have had quite enough of being left in the dark. Did you know my notice for this meeting was intercepted and charmed read?" Tonks sat on the row in front of him, again to his right and Dumbledore's eyes widened at the show of allegiance and subservience. "There are very few people in this room with both the motives and capabilities of doing _that_."

And that was what the Malfoy's entered to. Stunned into silence at the great seating rift between them. A slightly panicked Hermione darted round them to sit on Tonks' left.

Narcissa Malfoy sat like a penned animal in the middle. Draco perched next to her, trying to scowl in both directions.

Harry traced Dumbledore's eyes to the empty seat at his left, noted Hermione's unusual position and frowned. She'd been paying more attention to Daphne's lessons that he had, so why leave that important seat open and head to a lower level? Neville looked just as confused as he did.

"Now that everybody is here, we can begin." Skullbreaker, the goblin at the front of the hall cleared his throat loudly. "Due to stipulations in the will, all marriage contracts currently held by House Black have been examined and their penalty clauses executed." He looked up.

"Clause 42c of the Black-Lestrange contract was clearly violated by House Lestrange, as of the events of June 17th. We are unsure whether the killing of the Head of House Black by the Lady Lestrange precipitated the breaking of the contract, but it is clear that the contract was indeed violated on their part. As a result, all assets of House Lestrange have been confiscated by House Black, with their titles going to the French branch of the family with the deaths of all viable family members. The title does not go to House Black as they are no longer married to that House. Does anyone protest these proceedings?" The goblin made a quick note at the silence.

"Clause 43d of the Black-Malfoy contract has been violated by House Malfoy." Narcissa gasped. "We are unsure as to when the intentional attack occurred against the recognised Heir of House Black, but the decay of the magic in the contract suggests that it occurred in his second year of Hogwarts. The Headmaster of Hogwarts has been most, _uninformative, _as to the actions of that year, precipitating the delay in the will reading." Skullbreaker smiled toothily at Dumbledore. Hermione shivered. "Fortunately we have been able to determine that Mister Dumbledore was not technically Headmaster at the exact time of the incident involving the Chamber of Secrets and bears no legal responsibility." He shuffled his papers.

"while the penalty clause for an attack is not the same as the death of it's Head of House. House Malfoy has been fined severely for this indiscretion and the marriage dissolved, although Draco Malfoy still remains in the line of succession for House Black as his Head of House propagated the assault. Does anyone protest these proceedings?"

Draco stood and yelled, "My father would never-"

"Silence." His mother snapped as she rose and forced Draco to sit. "House Malfoy apologises for the unbecoming behaviour of it's Heir and cites the incident that occurred in the Department of Mysteries as clear antagonism on the part of House Black and it's Head."

"The chair notes that Narcissa Black is volunteering herself to raise objection on the part of Malfoy House but cannot apologise for it's scion. His disrespect has also been noted as it has been many times before." He sighed. "Your objection is also overruled on the basis that the Head of House Black was nearing the end of his eleventh year as a convict awaiting trial in Azkaban at the time of incident and could not, therefore, have offered provocation."

Narcissa acknowledged the response with a shake of her head. "No further objections." Harry could not believe what had just happened. If what he thought had happened was true... Then the contractual magic had just recognised Lucius giving Ginny the diary as an intentional attack against him or maybe it was the basilisk attack, or the assault that Dobby had stopped?

"Good. The Malfoy Heir must decide whether he wishes to forfeit either Malfoy Manor or the Althric Fields as per the contract."

"The Althric Fields, whatever they are." Malfoy said quickly before his mother could speak. Narcissa paled as the transaction was recorded.

"There will be a ten minute break before the will proper, for refreshments and other business to conclude." The goblin said, stepping down from the podium as Remus turned to leave the hall.

"Did the Lestrange family just suffer line death?" Harry asked the others, suddenly wishing Daphne was there on his left. It felt disturbingly vulnerable. Hermione shifted around and smiled up at him.

"Not quite." Neville said calmly. "Their overseas relations have three generations to decide whether they wish to restart the line before that occurs. It's one of the advantages that immigrant Houses like Lestrange and Malfoy have." Harry nodded. "Though House Malfoy has lost it's Most Noble status if the penalties are what I expect." Hermione raised an eyebrow. "They'll have lost a fair of chunk of land and Draco is now technically a bastard."

"Strange. I didn't realise there were still goblins with narglites." Luna said softly. "_Igznah:treh dulzborag Al-lanti." _She said to the approaching goblins.

"And greetings of the day to you as well, Lady Lovegood. Perhaps you could give the Lady Granger lessons." Skullbreaker said with a smile, before indicating his companion. "My companion here is Bloodclaw, account manager for your... _trading_ group." He gave his crooked smile.

"Thank you Skullbreaker, Mister Potter, your appointed proxy has authorised some rather interesting requests on your behalf. If you could familiarise yourself with them and sign these papers at your earliest convenience..." He trailed off as Harry gestured for Tonks to pass them up with the quill.

"Thank you Bloodclaw, she says many great things about your service." Harry continued, smiling at the titles on the documents and started signing. "And she has suggested some profitable endeavours that might be pursued at the conclusion of this reading, if everything proceeds as we expect. Should you have time this evening to see us with the intent to perform Vault Access tests it would be appreciated."

Bloodclaw nodded. "We would need to see each other regardless. This way we can ensure mutual benefit to us both." He took the signed papers with a gleam in his eyes as Harry rubbed the healing wounds left by the blood quill. "Thank you L-" He blinked, looking up from the parchment. "Lord Potter. This will be a most profitable day for both of us. May you vaults overflow and your enemies tremble."

"May gold never stray from your coffers and your enemies fear the movement of your quill." Harry gave in reply.

Skullbreaker nodded in Harry's direction after Bloodclaw showed him the documents. "Well said, Lord Potter. Lady Granger, I trust your trip to the vault was in order?" She nodded and expressed her thanks for the service. "I am glad to hear it. Compliments on your choice." His eyes swept over the group one last time. "I am afraid you'll have to excuse us as we have other business to attend to." Without so much as a parting farewell, the goblins strode off.

"Why is Hermione blushing?" Luna asked, marking the return of normal conversation.

OoooOoooO

Remus Lupin found himself staring at the figure in the bathroom mirror. He did not like what he saw. Rubbing tired eyes with one hand he flicked back into a duelling position and back down again. Just to show himself that he still had it. The flair. Or whatever you wanted to call what had allowed him to survive these years without adding a couple of extra scars.

He'd blame Tonks if he could. But that would be the highest form of hypocrisy and while he might be a coward, he would not dare to sink that low. "You have completely screwed up the last sixteen years." He told his reflection, staring at the grey hairs. "Maybe you should have paid attention in history, worked out how we got into this mess in the first place. The lying, the slandering, the attempts to remake the magics of the past." He shuddered.

He might not have understood pureblood politics. Politics and laws of any sort really were his weakness and he knew it, but the split in that courtroom had been obviously staged. He could taste the tension and was far too tired to fight it. The wolf saw two packs form from one and demanded he pick one, the warrior in him saw it too. But the young man his closest friends regarded as their own or the man he owed... owed what was the question. He took one look at the page he'd ripped from Tonks' book, unable to believe, hating the sight of it. But there it was:

_Votes on the Werewolf Reclassification Bill 1993, Proposer: Delores Umbridge. _

_For: Cornelius Fudge (Minister for Magic), Albus Dumbledore (Proxy for 11 Votes), Lord Malfoy (Proxy for 3 votes, 1 Vote)..._

_Against: Lady Bones (Proxy for 1 vote, 1 Vote)..._

He walked dejectedly back into the courtroom. "May I?" He asked Tonks as he came up beside her. She looked to Harry.

"Go ahead." He said with a smile and the werewolf sat. Remus started hoping that Tonks would explain all of this to him later because her deference made no sense at all.

OoooOoooO

"This reading, of the will of Sirius Black is called to order. I apologise in advance for the somewhat informal nature of the document." Skullbreaker sighed, "But I assure all that the required tests for fitness were all passed successfully at it's making." He activated the legal parchment with rune, and it began speaking with Sirius' voice.

"I, Sirius Orion Black, Head of the House of Black, being sane of mind and body, despite how hard they tried to break both, do hereby declare my last will and testament as follows. There might be laws about what a convict can do but since I'm dead, I'm not one any more. So it's time for the fun to begin. Nice loophole that."

First off, Andromeda and Nymphadora Tonks are hereby reinstated back to the House of Black, So Mote It Be and all that.

Secondly, I want a full investigation into both Bellatrix's and Narcissa's marriage contracts, pursued to the fullest extent of the penalty clauses. To be executed before this is read as I'm sure they've broken at least one clause.

Thirdly, once that's out of the way. Narcissa Malfoy neé Black, you are henceforth disowned from the House of Black. Bellatrix Lestrange neé Black you are hereby disowned from the House of Black with all your progeny. Assuming that she ever gets laid now that Voldemort's broken your sweet little mind.

Right, err, onto the bequests I guess.

Remus Lupin, my old co-conspirator, I leave you the princely sum of fifty-thousand galleons. A hundred of which are to be held for you by Madame Malkin. I am tired of you wearing old rags and not picking up girls. Sort it out. There's also a letter here. It was nice knowing you. Mischief Managed.

Nymphadora Tonks, you lovely spirited lass, shame we didn't have more time together. And I don't mean in that way. You've got another ten-thousand galleons for the business we've already discussed, assuming everything has proceeded as planned. Well it obviously hasn't, since I'm dead. I'll leave you with a parting comment anyway: Make sure Remus gets laid, he needs it.

Hermione Granger, where do I begin? Well, I suppose either ten thousand galleons makes sense. It can buy a reasonable sized library . I never was quite sure which one you preferred. Also, I hereby give grant you full access to the Black family Library and Grimoires for as long as ye shall live, So Mote It Be. Bit redundant that, I know, but I'll do it anyway. There's a letter in there for you as well.

Susan Bones, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood you have been brilliant friends of my godson and the lot of you have been truly amazing. I'm sure your study group will find the contents of vault 932 to be most useful. I also leave you five-thousand galleons each and my thanks.

Albus Dumbledore, well. What can I say really, Lord of the Wizengamot, something something of the ICW. I leave ten-thousand galleons to the Goblin clan of Gringotts just to piss you off and let them laugh at your face when this is read. You're a sick, demented and ignorant old man who has done more damage to this country than the last five dark lords combined. I hope you are happy with yourself and the complete and utter failure of everything you stand for. But as you would say 'I must forgive you for the greater good!' but I can't, because I'm dead. And it's your fault. The only thing I leave you is a warning: You reap what you sow.

Also, get the fuck out of my house and remove that illegal Fidelius you placed there, the wards will have reset regardless.

Ginny and Ronald Weasley, I leave you but a warning: You've picked the wrong side. Grow up.

Molly Weasley, some words of wisdom: Stay the fuck away from my godson you manipulating bitch - if you so much as try a compulsion charm, I pity you I really do.

Now, to Draco Malfoy, my closest blood relation..." The Order members leaned forwards, Dumbledore taking on a horrified look as the goblin drew it out. "I leave..." Draco smirked. "One..." Harry suppressed a chuckle. "Knut." Everyone blinked as the phantom voice of Sirius Black let out peals of laughter. "And my disgust that such a specimen could ever be sired from my House. You are also hereby disbarred from the House of Black, marrying it's daughters or pissing on their graves. So Mote It be. Oh disbarred means you're disowned forever. And it can't be rescinded by future generations. And no, your father can't pay to get that law changed."

"To Harry Potter, my godson and Heir since his birth, I leave everything else and headship of the House of Black. I also put you forward for emancipation, citing your trial for Underage Sorcery in 1995 and your entry into the Tri-Wizard tournament as sufficient cause. I also leave you a letter, to explain this entire mess. This is Sirius Black, being Serious.

I've always wanted to say that. And I don't think I've forgotten anything so...

Thus the ends the will of Sirius Black."

Everyone started talking at once. Apart from Harry's group who simply looked at him. "So far so good." He said calmly. Skullbreaker banged his mallet loudly against the podium.

"Now that the will has concluded, I will merely note that the adjusted will of Lucius Malfoy will be read tomorrow, with Draco and Narcissa Malfoy being required to attend, with the Lestrange Wills now completely invalidated." The goblin stated calmly before an evil grin spread across his face. "Now, if the Malfoys could please leave along with any other parties Lord Black wishes to exclude, we can begin with the judicial proceedings for the audit into Lord Black's account. The Head of House Dumbledore and representatives of House Weasley will be required to attend. Messires Weasley, your head of House has been notified and will be here shortly." He walked up the Isle and placed a single knut in front of Draco Malfoy, grinning like a madman.

"Do you mind if I take Remus outside and explain things?" Tonks asked quickly.

"Go ahead..." Harry responded, gazing at the werewolf with yearning. "Just... don't reveal who else is with us, please."

"Sure Harry." Tonks said quickly, turning to the still confused werewolf. "Come on you old wolf, lets get out of here before the fun starts."

Smiling he turned to the others. "The rest of you are more than welcome to stay if you want, I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen." He looked over the desk. "Hermione, come up and join us, it must be lonely down there." Seating arrangements sorted they sat about discussing other things and looking through Sirius' letter.

They were slightly disappointed to read that Sirius had only found evidence of the judicial manipulation that had kept him firmly in Akaban and the slow introduction of taxes, laws and other amendments aimed at taking control of Potter and other 'less than pure' families funds and artefacts. Fortunately the goblins were having none of it.

Harry wondered what his godfather would have done if he'd known of Dumbledore's rather obvious brand of manipulation through information control that had followed him for the last five years of his life. It was a shame he'd died, but Harry had never really known him.

OoooOoooO

"I'm sorry about this but you can't conduct an audit, as Harry's magical guardian I'm afraid I forbid it." Albus Dumbledore explained quite slowly to the small creature in front of him. They where rather useful things if a little young to the world. All this eagerness for blood and gold, it's a wonder they even functioned with a civilised society. He simply could not understand how his ancestors had trusted them with any form of authority.

"I'm equally sorry Mister Dumbledore," it smirked back, "but the forms are all present, correct and verified by contractual magic and signed in blood by the Lord Black. Therefore we are obliged to carry out his wishes as he has already paid the appropriate charges."

"So this is to be a preliminary hearing then? And how could he have signed them having only been Lord Black for all of," he checked his watch, "say five minutes."

The goblin smiled. "The will's magic was executed at the start of the hearing, surely as appointed Chief of the Wizengamot you are aware of this? As for the hearing's status, we shall see. Now, if you would return to your seat, I need to confirm a few things." Skullbreaker smiled, he might have to consider moving closer to the surface if legalities were always this much fun. Relaxing back in his chair, he muttered one of his life's mottoes _'today is a good day for somebody else to bleed'. _The wizards really had lost all sense when a goblin knew more of the magical laws bound to their Sovereignty than their Chief Warlock. His eyes met the young Lord and his compatriots silently judging benefits, risks and the elevation of the Lady Granger. Their eyes glinted with malice. He just might be able to understand these particular _wizards_.

If only the Flamels had not moved to France and had the indecency to die, taking their business with them to the French dwarf clans, then he wouldn't be having this conundrum. But then, he would never have had a chance to shape this group in their nations interests either. Unlike the old fool, the goblins weren't stupid enough to make their manipulations without profit for both sides.

OoooOoooO

Harry's and Dumbledore's eyes met as Arthur Weasley entered the room, the pair of them silently judging the wards that had sprung up between them. The Headmaster saw the icy regard in those eyes and the sparkle left his. Was that a trace of Occlumency behind the young man's eyes? Surely not, Severus had informed him how atrocious and arrogant the boy had been, not even turning up to lessons after the first. Had he seen through his attempts to weaken those shields? He shook his head. He was over-thinking things again, just like this audit... He shuffled on his seat. Were those _Ministry_ record keepers at the front of the hall? This wouldn't do. Wouldn't do at all.

Skullbreaker leaned forward as he watched his own preparations slide effortlessly into place with the _darlahsk _Greengrass'. Representatives from their ministry, the required records etc, etc. Turning to Bloodclaw, Griphook and the other goblins he received their nods of assent and one shake of the head. The Lestrange vault was being problematic. He raised an eyebrow and got a nod. It would be done in time and could chose the lowest fees in a show of favouritism, blaming it on the dead. Perfect.

"This judicial meeting to review the findings of the audit of Lord Blacks affairs as part of a long running investigation within Gringotts on matters of fraud and corruption." He started, looking up from his record sheet.

"Objection!" Albus Dumbledore announced, as expected. "I never authorised such an audit, and you would also need the signature of his legal guardian, therefore your investigations are illegal and I require you to turn all documentation over to the Wizengamot."

"Forgive me, wizard, for actually following your laws instead of the ones you would like to believe exist." Skullbreaker stated, pointing at the first pile of documents. The representative from the ministry threw the hood of her cloak back and affirmed that everything was in order.

"Amelia, what are you doing here?" Dumbledore asked sharply. "Why wasn't I informed of this as Chief Warlock?"

"Overseeing valid judicial proceedings in accordance with the goblin treaties and the notification was sent to your office half an hour ago." She replied calmly, ignoring that he was already locked in the room at that time. "Add Obstruction of Justice to the charge sheet. My apologise for the interruption Skullbreaker."

"It is of no matter." The goblin replied. "It was obvious that he would protest given our first point of interest. Withdrawals from the Potter Trust vault totalling seven-thousand galleons by Albus Dumbledore. Mr Potter has signed a magically binding statement that he never agreed nor was informed of this withdrawal. The goblin involved in making these withdrawals, as Mister Dumbledore did not go down to the vault himself, was found to have been bribed to ignore this fact and not enter the withdrawals on the ledgers. Fortunately he did not have access to the main Potter Vault or its ledger, which clearly stated the replenishment. What manner of defence do you put forth for these charges?"

"I cannot reveal my reasons for these withdrawals, it is enough to say that I was acting in the best interests of magical Britain and for the Greater Good. Harry, my boy, surely you understand and stop these slanderous proceedings." Dumbledore proclaimed calmly.

Harry's smile was slow and dangerous as Hermione leaned into him like a cat, Neville stood taller and Luna smiled like a lingwin who'd caught a nargle. "You will refer to me as Lord Black, Mister Dumbledore. And I find it amusing that you are attempting to use the words inscribed over Nurmengard in an attempt to justify theft." He looked down at the nails of his right hand.

Skullbreaker smiled. The young Lord had an aura already, judging by the shifts of his compatriots. That was power. "Recorded as no legal defence. We will move onto the second charge, the unjust proclamation of Magical Guardianship, citing the wills of James and Lilly Potter,"

"Objection!" Dumbledore jumped into the trap again. "The Potter wills where sealed by the Wizengamot so cannot be used as evidence."

The goblin sighed, turning to his ashen faced ministry representative. "By the last treaty signed between our two nations, goblins are allowed to act as executors if named as such. The Potter wills explicitly named us as such along with the ministry, I believe, in an act of redundancy. By their stipulations we attempted to execute it upon their death. Sirius Black was the new Lord Black's magical guardian until almost two weeks ago as he was never convicted of an offence. What is your defence?"

"Who is his current magical guardian?" Dumbledore asked with his best grandfatherly charm.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that issue with you." Skullbreaker said calmly. "Please state your defence."

"I really must insist, Amelia. Surely you can see the sense in this, we can't have Harry's magical guardianship transferred to an unknown party, why, they could do anything with it." Dumbledore asked the head of Magical Law Enforcement politely in a quiet plea of assistance.

Amelia sighed. "I've recorded it as no legal defence." And so it continued. For a good half an hour of charge after charge, accusation and counter accusation.

Skullbreaker smiled as the show finished. "The Gringotts clan of Goblins, as per our treaty with Magical Britain do hereby find you guilty of thirteen counts, including Thievery, both of artefacts and gold from vaults, Bribery, Falsely Claiming Guardianship, Endangerment of a Family Line, Wrongful Interception and Prevention of Financial Communications and so on. Our sentence is thus: Your House is cast from this institution. Never again shall you or your blood do business within these doors. Your assets, liquid or otherwise that we hold in trust shall be held in arrears awaiting the final evaluation of your crimes. An investigation of your entire financial activities and those you are connected to, including those of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry and all contracts to which you are listed as signatory or witness shall be re-evaluated and the parties involved contacted. We will also forward all evidence and findings to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as per the treaty."

Dumbledore froze. Amelia, who had the idea that she couldn't be shocked further by the Head Warlock's crimes, had almost fainted. Harry Potter bared his teeth. In one fell swoop, the goblins declared economic warfare on the Wizarding World through perfectly legal means, and all concerned knew they would get a cut from every crime they could uncover.

"While we're here." The goblin said almost negligibly, "Lady Granger, did you ever consent to a," He made the show of looking down at the contract. "pre-arranged marriage with one Ronald Weasley?" He laughed. "My mistake, it's signed by Molly Weasley, not the Head of House so it's a simple waste of contract paper."

"I am two seconds away from declaring a Blood feud." Harry whispered as his arm snaked around her.

Hermione snuggled into his arm and looked up at him. "Not while we're at Hogwarts. You said you wanted to avoid that." She whispered softly as Molly stood.

"I wish to offer apology to Hermione Granger for my involvement as the behaviour of my son and the Headmaster led me to believe it was desired by both parties." She started quickly as the headmaster's mind restarted- just how long had the goblins been planning this?

"Apology accepted." Hermione said after realising she was meant to speak.

"Mister Dumbledore, the guards at your back will escort you from the premises. I would advise that you don't try anything, nor wait for the members of this trial in the Alley." Dumbledore glared at the goblins before allowing himself to be escorted from the room by an entourage of twenty fully armed goblins.

"Now, we move on to our second set of financial anomalies. For the last few years it has been my understanding that you, Molly Weasley have been withdrawing funds for the Potter vaults for Mr. Potters school supplies. As we are given the the lists to allow us to advise Muggleborn students, would you please explain why you withdrew a hundred galleons each time instead of the regulation amount?"

"Well, I couldn't have Harry go to school in rags, or anything could I. Those horrid relatives of his they do terrible terrible things..." Molly blustered.

"So these withdrawals wouldn't be linked to the deposits of over ninety galleons into the House Weasley vaults on the same day?" Skullbreaker asked lazily.

"I- wait. Is that even legal?" The Weasley matriarch looked at Amelia.

"It is standard procedure when theft is suspected." She said coldly.

"It think it is clear to all of us, what happened here." Arthur Weasley said, completely ignoring his wife. "While I can claim to have no knowledge of this crime, I cannot prove such." He sighed. "House Weasley most likely cannot afford whatever repayments owed. We would ask House Potter if they were willing to consider an alternate method of payment?"

Harry looked to Neville. "Oaths, contracts or services of sorts." The Longbottom Heir whispered back. "Property, marriages, concubines. That sort of thing." Harry nodded as Hermione handed him a piece of parchment. Neville looked it over, along with Luna. After a moment, they both nodded and Harry stood.

"House Potter recognises members of your House amongst its friends and does not seek to bankrupt you. while I cannot speak for the goblins, I would ask for guarantees that this will not happen again. Fortunately, Hermione here remembers reading about a Vow of Non-Interference. I can't say I've heard of it myself but I'm sure Lady Bones will be able to seal it."

Arthur sighed. "Your terms are acceptable to the House of Weasley." Molly turned agape to look at her husband.

"You can't-"

"Enough." Arthur turned to his wife. "You have done quite enough already, or did you forget that it's your meddling that has led to this in the first place. If I find out you have attempted anything else, you will cast from this family without a second thought. Lady Bones, if you could do the honour of being bonder. I apologise for the use of wands." He stated as both men advanced to the front of the room.

"It's quite all right." Skullbreaker said calmly, leaning back into his seat. At first he'd thought the young man was being soft, but based on their reactions... He gave Molly Weasley less than a year to live.

Grasping Harry's forearm, Arthur stared on dejectedly as Amelia held her wand over the pair and cast the bonding charms. "I, Arthur Weasley do swear up my Life, House and Magic, that I will never knowingly interfere with the affairs of Lord Black, his allies or vassals by any means. So Mote It Be." Golden sparks encircled their hands.

"I'm sorry." Harry said after a moment. "I didn't realise that it was quite that severe." Arthur smiled grimly, but nodded.

A glaring Molly was up next, spitting out the oath with as much spite as she could muster. Harry did not react and the Vow took hold regardless. Arthur did not return to his seat but instead turned to look at the goblin.

"The Goblin Clan of Gringotts recognises that this crime is isolated to certain members of the House while recognising the usefulness and honour of others. As such your House will be on probation, limited to deposits and withdrawals from current vaults until the members involved in this incident are no longer part of your House, by death or other causes." Skullbreaker stated.

Arthur bowed deep. "The generosity of the Goblin Clan of Gringotts is noted and appreciated." Skullbreaker sneered at that as he gestured for the Weasley's to leave. _Generosity, how weak. _"Please excuse us, we need to notify Dumbledore of our withdrawal from his Order and the war."

"GENEROUS!" Molly Weasley started as soon as she stepped out the room. "Why those ungrateful little-" The door slammed shut, silencing her tirade.

"The vow was designed to force people to be neutral, it normally has a time constraint applied." Hermione said softly at Harry's questioning look. "This might well keep them alive and away from Dumbledore's influence."

"Thus concludes the audit of the Potter accounts." Skullbreaker announced to the near empty room, as a harried looking goblin shoved a piece of paper into his hand. "The Audit of the Black accounts has also been completed, with a fifty galleon fine levied against the former vault of Lestrange for applying additional layers of security without license. They have been removed. Thus concludes the hearing."

Harry stood. "Thank you for your actions and explanations today Skullbreaker. It occurs to me that there has been a gross misunderstanding between us and that the services you provide are worth far more than we are currently paying you. As a matter of honour I will attempt to correct this oversight on our part." He smiled without bearing teeth. "One day I may even work out what your title is. Our enemies have bled well today, and our coffers grown larger. May we never battle on opposite sides."

The elder goblin stood and also bowed to Harry. "I will agree with that sentiment. Give my regards to the _darlahsk _Greengrass. We await your next strike with anticipation."

Nodding to the pair of goblins and the Lady Bones, the group left. Skullbreaker turned to Amelia with a raised eyebrow. "I hope you disabled the recording quill in time?"

Amelia frowned as she looked down. "Yes, I did." They must have traced it through Susan and asked for her specifically. Packing everything up, she asked herself for the seventh time that month just _what_ her niece had gotten herself involved with. She wanted answers. Preferably from the young man's lips.

OoooOoooO

"Okay, I can almost understand Dumbledore pushing that law through strictly to remove me as a competent teacher in the defence position. But if what you're saying is true, then he believes in muggleborn rights in the same way that pet owners support animal rights." Remus concluded after another long winded discussion of laws, actions, consequences and just how much power the old man had held before this year. And did again after his redemption.

"That's... almost dead on actually." Tonks said with a frown. "Always knew you were better at this whole explaining thing than me. Which is why you'd never see me as as teacher."

"I guess you've picked a side then." Remus said softly. "Do you know their policies on werewolves?"

"If it's anything like their attitude towards muggleborns, or first-gens as they seem to call them, then pretty good." Tonks tried to explain. "They don't do forgiveness though, from what I've seen. You might get a second chance, but then..." She sighed.

"And Death Eaters?" Remus asked.

"Kill the fuckers. If you'll pardon my French." She snorted. "They already have quite a body count. No stunning, no caring about the Imperius or other excuses, we won't risk our own."

"Where do I sign up?" The werewolf asked with a sad smile, absently testing muscles that hadn't been used for a while.

"What do you know about fealty oaths?" Tonks asked with a crooked smile.

"Dumbledore keeps insisting I make one to him but I've never felt what he was asking was worth it. Complete loyalty or die? Who asks for that kind of thing?" Remus asked, spitting on the ground.

"Well, my Lord nearly ripped me a new one when I surprised him with mine, so we do things a little differently..."

OoooOoooO

"And that concludes your new list of assets and lands. I have to admit to my amazement that the Malfoy Heir was willing to give up the Althric Fields, the magically potent area is the source of the vast majority of their income. I'm assuming you'll want it put under better management?" The goblin asked without emotion. "It needs to be left fallow for at least ten years for the creature populations to begin recovering , the last Head of House was a rather extravagant spender."

"If you could let it lie fallow until I say otherwise, it would be appreciated." Harry continued. "As for my other investments; if you could establish a controlling interest into..." He pulled out a parchment and marked several of the dodgier shops. "These businesses and appropriate any books or artefacts over two hundred years old for our usage I feel it would be beneficial."

The goblin looked a little surprised at that, but agreed. "Is there any other business you would like to conduct while we're here?"

"Firstly, I'd like to establish a corporation or company through which me and mine can conduct business, though I'm not quite sure how to go about that." Harry asked.

Bloodclaw frowned. "I'd like to say that was possible, but wizarding laws are not capable of forming the entity you would like to create. The two closest would be a business or a Guild. Both of which have their benefits and problems." The goblin shrugged. "I would suggest both, but what you are attempting is likely to come up against other peoples' monopolies, and while there are not laws against teaching, the guilds themselves are the main source of knowledge outside of House libraries, and very few are willing to employ someone not belonging to one."

Harry rubbed his temples. "Naturally. I assume you are able to mail the necessary books to me, at the appropriate fee. Out of curiosity, Madame Malkin wouldn't happen to be the head of the Seamstress's Guild would she?"

The goblin smiled wryly. "Head of the Clothworkers guild to be precise, hence her most profitable location. Your second item of business?"

"How easy would it be to get access to the list of graduated first-generation students and their NEWT results?" Harry asked, staring at the goblin.

Bloodclaw tried not to stiffen, but couldn't hide the uncomfortable shift in posture as he realised just what his customer was asking. "I would advise against such a move, now is not the time to invest in industry, with the rampant deflation in the wizard economy, but, theoretically, any registered business is capable of paying a fee to access to the results list. It's too late for you to access this years list tough, it's already gone out."

"I'll assume the list is used by Guilds and other people looking for apprentices." The goblin nodded. "Fine, establish a business under the name of... Althric Artificers and get us registered for that list. Assuming wizarding Britain is a prejudiced as I think it is, most first-gens won't get the jobs their qualifications suggest, giving us a large potential workforce for next year." He muttered to himself.

"It will be done. For an additional fee, I could try and approach some of those that didn't get that good a job this year. Once you've worked out what you want them to do, have the necessary facilities and anything else your employees might need. Gringotts has a copy of the list for recruitment purposes."

Harry nodded and signed the appropriate paperwork. "Good, next up, I would like you to purchase a twenty-percent share in Fred and George Weasley's business." He stared at the goblin. "Be generous with your offer and if they ask, tell them it's in honour of Padfoot, the previous Head of House Black. That'll bring my share as their silent partner up to fifty-three percent. That concludes our financial business."

Bloodclaw nodded, closing the files and reaching for the rune covered basin that had been left to the side. "Thank you for your custom, I take it you wish to take the vault access test now? The standard fee is four galleons."

Harry nodded. "I'd also like to arrange for the other nine members of our business group to take one when they next arrive as per my right as Head of House for those under its protection. I assume you can liaise with Skullbreaker?"

"Of course, now, if you'd drop some blood into this bowl, the runic arrays will test it and you magical signature against every blood warded vault in the bank, as a statement of access."

Harry did so and watched as the blood slowly pooled and changed colour, becoming a thick shimmering black. The goblin poured it out onto a sheet of paper. A long list of vault name's started appearing.

"Interesting, interesting." The goblin muttered under his breath, indicating the vault numbers as he went along. "There's your little trading groups vaults, the Potter, Black and confiscated vaults." He paused and tapped the parchment at the end. "These three I'm not sure about, but I would guess that they're the vaults of old families you happen to be related to. You would have to undergo a Line Verification ritual to be named their Heir. Not that they're worth much. But these last two, vaults three and seven." The goblin muttered to himself. "I'd never have believed it."

Harry sighed, he was coming to expect this sort of thing. "Whose vaults are they?"

The goblin gave a small smile. "Those are the vaults of the Slytherin family and the Flamel family." He sighed. "Unfortunately, we have no idea who else has access to such high security vaults as I doubt you are the Heir or Lord of either."

Harry nodded. "Okay then, let's get a team of goblins and dump everything we find into the Black vaults, after we've reset the wards on the others."

OoooOoooO

Harry rubbed the two puncture wounds in his hand with a low growl. The animated snakes on the vault door ignored him and gave him the once over.

_'Yessss.' _They hissed as one. _'You have passed the first test, what would you ask of the vault of Slytherin?'_

_'Open.' _Harry replied and the snakes sunk back into the metal laughing, the door clanked, shuddered, shifted, warped and after a minute of laborious noises and shimmering arch appeared in front of the door. With little else to do and a gesture to the goblins to stay, Harry stepped through it.

After the tingling of wards had passed, Harry found himself in another narrow chamber, facing another vault door. This one though, was made from greenish topaz, with an engraving circling round it's edge.

_'Two voices in concert will open this door. Both of the blood, or born of another. Neither childe, nor familiar will aid you here. Nor the blood of another, brewed in trust. My gift alone, and the unity of others is the key for my treasures.' _

"Well fuck." Harry said softly to himself. It looked like it would take both him and Voldemort together to open this door, but he'd try anyway. _'Open, password, key, rowena, ravenclaw, gryffindor, godric, hufflepuff, helga, sorting, hat, hogwarts, help?'_

_'You children have caused ssssuch strife,'_ the voice echoed from throughout the chamber. _'I cannot recognissse you, so maybe the folly of my sonsss is long dead regardlesss, you have senssse enough to ask for help, so I will grant a few of my secretsss.' _A book dropped onto the floor. _'But a warning: the conjuration will not last for long.'_

Grabbing the slender book Harry fled back the way he came, ignoring the worried looks of the goblins as he asked them to take him to the Flamel's vault, a mere mile down the corridor under the goblin warrens.

"It's locked, and I'd need another parseltongue to open it." Harry said eventually. "Given that there is only one other parseltongue, no one is going to be able to open that vault for a long time." He finally answered Skullbreaker as the Flamel vault slowly opened.

Inside was a perfectly white space. Also too bright to see clearly in. There was no gold, no artefacts, no books, not even a hint at how big the inside space actually was. Just a blank plinth in the middle of the room. Closing his eyes he extended his senses, searching for traps. There was nothing he could find, but... He turned straight around after detecting the energy emitted by the moon and headed back towards the goblins.

"It's a test I can't pass yet." He explained with a grimace, rubbing the serpent bite. "This has not gone well."

OoooOoooO

Daphne was looking around the restaurants private room with something akin to awe. She'd thought that when she took the Book of Laws it would be a simple case to find a bench or something to read the old tome, but the non-magical world was... well, it was something else. Erin giggled. Hannah glared at her. "Hey, you can't laugh. Think of how you must have looked when you entered Diagon Alley for the first time, eh?" The young brunette eeped.

"I think, we may have to move our schedule up." Daphne sighed. "A restaurant with comfortable seats, it's..."

"Shroedinger!" Luna cried, jumping off her seat to jostle with a inky black cat that was just a little blurred at the edges. Everyone else averted their eyes from the Uninterlopative Flibbersport that popped up on occasion. It was one of the reasons why Unofficial Rule One was simple: Don't mess with Luna. Susan had had nightmares about the Cheshire-cat smile that had scared a Death Eater into a blasting curse before the cute kitty ran up to lick its mistresses face.

"Are you sure these prices are right?" Neville asked, moving the focus away from his girlfriend. "It's almost two galleons to a meal! You could feed the Weasleys for a week on that, almost."

"Yeah, it's about normal." Erin replied. "The wizarding world is weird, the exchange rate is completely one-sided in favour of first-gens. Me and Hermione had a look and the actual goods for goods rate is over fifty pounds to the galleon. We think the exchange rate might have been set to be hideously favourable to wizards in the last goblin treaty, but we're not sure. It certainly hasn't adjusted for non-magical inflation or growth." She blinked. "At least I think that's what dad said when he took a look at her figures."

"So, basically," Blaise started, "This is just another example of how magical society is stupidly backward?" At Hannah's nod she frowned. "I wonder whether the two century life expectancy of wizards has anything to do with it?"

"You'll have to ask Hermione." Erin said regretfully. "Neither of us are walking theory machines. Well, unless you're talking about runes or spells. Speaking of the devil."

"Sorry I'm late." The flustered Gryffindor said as she entered the private room. "Got a little distracted by Flourish and Blotts. Harry not here yet?"

"Nope." Erin replied as she sat down beside her. "You got those books you wanted me to fiddle with?"

"Not now, you idiots." Padma started as she passed them over, "What do you think would happen if the waiter saw them? There is such a thing as the Statue of Secrecy you know." Hannah sniggered.

"This is going to need some of your blood, you know." Erin grinned at Hannah who immediately shut up. "Hah! Got you that time!" And everything descended into bedlam.

"Daphne, can I ask you a question?" Hermione asked hesitantly after the chaos had died down. "Why did the goblins refer to Dumbledore as Mister Dumbledore but Harry as Lord Black?"

"It's because the Dumbledores are not a Noble House." Daphne explained hesitantly. "To qualify as a Noble House you need to be descended from one of the original families who established the Sovereignty of magical Britain, or you need to have a certain amount of land. Both gets you the title of Most Noble. House Dumbledore has neither, nor will House Malfoy if they've given up the Althric fields." Daphne sighed as she saw that everyone's attention was fixed on her.

"Being a Noble house grants you certain privileges. Harry, as the Head of the Most Noble House of Black, gets a couple more despite loosing the Ancient title. The most obvious thing he gets is a vote in the Wizengamot, the title Lord and the ability to be elected to head of the Wizengamot. The parliament and judiciary respectively. He and those under his protection also get other benefits in the court of Law, exemption from certain taxes and monopoly laws and so on."

The door opened. "What have I done now?" Harry asked as he saw all eyes immediately focus on him.

"Oh, just become a minor political power, stripped Malfoy of his titles and income, denied another large sum of money to Riddle and became a recognised Lord without telling us." Daphne snapped. "Which, among references to the use and misuse of certain powers all Lords are supposed to have in common, contains clauses on keeping a 'House Necromancer', the raising of dragons and the creation and use of magical mutagens, artefacts, loci and all sorts of madness."

Everyone in the room blinked. "Errr, when you put it like that..." Harry started nervously as he edged towards his seat.

"Are you ready to order now?" The appearance of the waiter saved him from having to talk business as the wheels inside various girls heads started turning.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Right, that was a fairly long chapter that I hope you either enjoyed or found interesting. I've seen a lot of fics with an inheritance test but I preferred the idea that the goblins could run a sample of blood against every ward in the bank and see which ones he could (theoretically) access. In case you're wondering: the Flamel vault is accessible by anyone, the Slytherin Vault by those with the gift of parsletongue. Both have additional layers of security.<em>

_If people want me to explain something, ask in a review or PM (but preferably review) and I'll reply either by adding scenes or via PM. As usual, pointing out any mistakes or ways I can improve are definitely appreciated._

_Any and all reviews are welcome. _


	5. Seven Sisters

_AN: Thank you for all the reviews last chapter, it was the largest amount of comments I've gotten so far. I've had a lot of comments about how this story looks like a sequel and I've tried to adress that and the other main comments I've had at the end of this chapter, which leads on directly from the last one._

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><p><strong>Chapter 5 – Seven Sisters<strong>

_23rd July, Chinese Restaurant in London, Private Room_

"That was delicious." Blaise announced to the group as they all expressed their agreement. "I honestly cannot believe how tasty that was." The waiter finished placing the latest round of drinks as Harry caught his eye.

"We're going to be doing some private business now, so I'd appreciate it if you left us alone until one of us came to get you." The waiter nodded nervously, collected the last spent glass and bowl, then left. Harry lent back. "Okay, let's see how good you are, wards on three," wands appeared in hands, "two," everyone grinned, "one." The room exploded into a frenzy of activity.

Once everything had settled down the room's edges almost glowed with power as Harry checked over their work and added his own silencing, protection, notice-me-not and alarm spells to the mix. "Very well done, all of you. The mid-summer meeting of Granger's Gremlins is hereby called to order. First off, a very well done to Hermione for acquiring the books we've all come to know and love this holiday. I'm not entirely sure I want to know how she got them, because it was probably idiotically dangerous, and that's my job." She blushed at the applause and Harry turned to his right. Padma smiled as she stood.

"Okay, I've actually got something for you this time, because you'll all be happy to know that we're doing as expected on the Hogwarts curriculum." Everyone tensed. "Of 1563, otherwise known as the golden years and the height of magical education. Thanks to Hermione's books and some of my own research, I've managed to piece together the curriculum and some of the books they studied from." She handed out the lists. "As you can see, the only field that we're more advanced on as a group is Defence and that none of the NEWT level electives are taught any more." The others read through the list.

_'Alchemy, Staff Use, Enchanting, Runic Theory, War Magic, Curse Breaking, Scrying, Healing, Potion Creation, Creature Breeding, Illusionary Arts, Advanced Mental Arts, Ritualism...'_ were but samples of the studies taught by a great number of teachers.

"We are never going to be able to cover all of these on our own." Susan summed it up for all of them. "I don't even know what half of them are."

Padma shrugged. "Neither do I, I've just been able to gather the list from various diaries and other references in the histories I've read. Can you believe that, at one point, an Acceptable in the NEWT Alchemy course was required for entrance into the most respected Healer programs instead of an Outstanding on Potions? Now we can count the number of alchemists in the world on one hand. What's more disturbing is that Occlumency was widely regarded as the most important art studied at OWL level but is now classified as a 'dark art' and not taught at all." She sighed. "Anyhow, that's me done, History of Magic and its NEWT are not worth learning as a group from what I've seen. Therefore I'm going to start looking into healing and minor things like Scrying. Unless anyone has any problems with that?" No one did.

"I'm next I guess." Blaise said, pulling a couple of blank books out of her bag. "I've gotten the hang of combining charms seamlessly," she blushed and looked a little sheepish, "It's as obvious as spell acceleration now I think of it, so it shouldn't take too long to teach everyone when we're back. I've also been looking into more complex wards and charms we can learn outside of the syllabus, but something just seems missing from the books I've studied. Also, I think I've mastered all the book charms along with the copyright fooling ones." She frowned as Harry held a book out to her.

"If you could copy it, I'd appreciate it." He asked, Blaise shot him a dirty look but took the book and started murmuring, spinning her wand over it and one of her spares. As the light show of letters and blues strands faded she picked up her previously blank book and flicked to the index.

"An ancient breeding manual for mystical snakes?" She gasped, "Hey, there are instructions on how to breed a stoneskin basilisk in here..." She glared at the original, which started disintegrating.

"A conjuration, from Slytherin's vault. Unfortunately it was the only thing I had access to." He explained as everyone shot vaguely suspicious looks in his direction.

"If you say so." Blaise said, shoving the copy into his hands. "You can look into breeding deadly magical snakes on your own time. As you can see, the Zabini copy-house is open for business. Illegally breaking copy-protection charms since ninety-six. Hannah?" The quiet second-gen shook her head and focus turned to the next in line. Susan smiled faintly.

"I've collated books on the animagus transformation and I'm about half-way through mine, I think. I should be ready to teach everyone how to do it once we're back. Assuming you've got the talent, that is. Luckily there's a charm for that." She raised her wand with a raised eyebrow, and getting everyone's consent cast it at everyone. "Okay... it looks like it's just Hermione, Daphne, and Hannah that'll be joining me in turning into animals. Sorry everyone else."

"Not your problem." Erin said as her eyes gleamed. "All right, my turn!" She almost jumped out of her seat. "Thanks to Hannah and Hermione's help, I've finally worked out the glitches in the shield gauntlets by switching to a multi-alphabetic scheme invol-" blue light hit her in the throat and she glared at Luna. One finite later, she sighed and stopped trying to explain everything. "Anyhow, that's done, we'll be able to start making improved shield gloves once we're back at Hogwarts and we've started on blade designs. Also, the two of us have managed to adapt an attention ward for our less than legal books using blood keys for exemption." She held up the metal bound tomes. "Hermione's already etched most of them, so me and Hannah can get these finished later." She looked to her idol.

Hermione sighed. "Okay, well, I've been helping everyone and starting to take over the counter-curse business from Hannah. Looking through some really dusty old tomes I think I might have found why the dark arts are so... addictive." She said slowly. "I think they were created with wars in mind, why else would their be curses that transmuted fear into anger into amusement or similar. It stops you from freezing up in a fight from fear or shock. Also I believe that an addiction component was added to most spells to ensure that, even if you were disgusted by what you happened after you'd stopped casting, the Lords of the day would still have wizards to fight their battles because they couldn't stay away. I've also been looking into something else, but I'll have to talk to the girls about that later." She blushed. "Oh, and before I forget, I found a few things I wanted people to look at."

Hermione pointed her wand into her bag and silently summoned a trio of wands. Each one had a different core material, bone, silver and a very dark wood with spiralling strands of metal running along their length. The wands handles' where capped with a large gemstone and every surface of the wand was covered in tiny runes. "I have never heard of wands like these before." Daphne said softly as the group examined them. "May I?" She asked hesitantly.

"Go ahead, they didn't work for-" Hermione broke off as the wooden cored wand jumped into Daphne's hand, icy cold wind flinging the others across the table as blue and silver ribbons danced through the room. Harry's reflexes snatched the silver wand from the air. Emerald and Bronze ribbons rippled and entwined with the ones from Daphne's wand and the warmth of the midday sun burned through the room in dancing motes of fire. The two of them looked at each other in shock as the light show faded.

A chair grated across the floor, Hannah jumped back against the wall. "No. I said no already." The others stared at her, only Blaise and Hermione where close enough to see the third wand accelerating across the floor towards her. "I don't want a _bone_ wand." She half-yelled at it.

"I don't think you have a choice." Padma volunteered hesitantly. "The wand does choose the wizard, apparently, and I'm guessing that these wands haven't had one for a long time."

Reluctantly Hannah reached down. The wand flew into her hand. Ice spread along the wall behind her as whispers flung through the air before everything returned to normal.

"Quite a rush, isn't it?" Harry asked slowly and the young girl nodded. "Just because your wand is made of bone it doesn't make you evil. We're here for you, remember."

Hannah nodded. "Thank you." She said softly. "Anything else Hermione?" She asked as everyone went to retake their seats.

"No." She said quickly, leaving the pyramids for now. "But I did get some spare holsters earlier. They're demiguise, so be carefully about the wands being summoned from you." She handed out the invisible wrist holsters. Their standard ones where dragon skin, making their contents unsummonable but obvious. "I believe it's Luna's turn."

The blond sat up with a smile. "Well the good news is that the goblins are trying something new and a lot of wrackspurts seem to have been eaten by something." She shrugged. "I was hoping it was by a wrappersnit but I won't know for certain unless I see it. Dumbledore's got a rather large nargle infestation and I really want to go visit the Althric fields." Luna gave Harry her puppydog eyes.

"Of course you can." He said after a moment and Luna tried to hug him from across the table.

"Other than that." Luna shrugged, staring at the air around the others for a few moments. "Nothing. Oh, and I found a boyfriend!" She smiled. "Really rare creatures those. Never more than one in existence at once."

Neville smiled and gave her a quick kiss, and picked up his favourite subject. but he had nothing to add on the books he'd assigned last time.

Daphne was last on Harry's left. Steepling her fingers, she leant forward with a smile. "Sirius' capture and death has forced our hand a little early whilst highlighting both sides incompetence. As my father keeps dragging me to parties, I've spent quite a lot of time under an invisibility cloak listening to people brag." She smiled. "And mapping their estates. What I found out was that Riddle is well aware of where the Order meets and his watchers had spotted Sirius around there on several occasions. Despite this, he had to get Snape to drive him out of there by being an obnoxious prat before he actually managed to capture him as bait to get Harry to try and take the prophecy." She revealed.

"What interests me is why Riddle asked schoolchildren and his minions to retrieve it from the Department when he was willing to reveal himself in the ministry regardless. I believe that he's afraid of the Unspeakables, but I don't know why."

"The biggest threat right now is Dumbledore. We are going to have to assume the worst and that, instead of dealing with a forgetful old fool we're dealing with someone trying to manipulate themselves into more power by any means. Fortunately for us he's a century out of date and has standards. When we return to Hogwarts I think we'll be able to expect minor compulsion charms and possibly attempted obliviations but that's as low as I believe he'll stoop. Unfortunately he'll also give Snape and Malfoy a free reign if he thinks it will benefit him." Daphne frowned at the thought and Blaise shivered. "I do not want to think what a dark arts addict and Legilimens with free reign in the dungeons will do to our House members. Also, he's marked. Which means there is no way he's really a spy for Dumbeldore."

"I will deal with Snape. The bastard got his mastery for creating a variant of boil cure. He doesn't stand a chance." Harry stated venomously. Both of the Slytherin girls gazed hopefully up at him. Only Daphne heard him mutter about Umbridge and 'test runs'. Her eyes got a little wider.

"Make it painful, please?" She asked quickly. "You have no idea what it's like in there."

"There's always the room of requirement if it gets too much in there." Harry said with a smile. "Hell, we can always get you some Ravenclaw robes from Madame Malkins and you can move House partway through the term."

"Harry..." Neville asked hesitantly. "You do realise that the House designation is part of the charms on the robe and if, say, Luna wore mine, they'd switch to Ravenclaw crests..." Harry frowned, eyes narrowing.

"Blaise, I want you to watch the teachers at the sorting. The crest only appears afterwards, so it must be one of the teachers casting a charm or part of the sorting hat." He said firmly. "I want us to be able to switch houses at will."

"Sounds like I've got a new project then." Blaise sighed dramatically. "But if it'll get me away from Malfoy..." She trailed off. They had a good laugh at that.

"I haven't finished yet." Daphne said, tapping Luna on the head with a stray spoon to get her attention. "Now I've gotten everyone's attention. If Harry is willing to fund us, magical money is no longer a problem for any of us. You have two votes in the Wizengamot alone, and can probably sway proxies for our houses and a large number of other votes." She looked around the table and swallowed. "I believe that this war will be decided either this year of the next, so we're not going to be able to keep our little group a secret much longer. When fallout starts happening as a result we're going to need someone to make decisions quick and fast." Everyone's eyes turned to Harry.

"No." He said quickly as he realised what they were getting at. "Not only no, but hell no. Seriously though, Daphne would be far better at this than I would. She's got brains, genius, is a master of politics..."

"And freezes up the moment everything falls apart." Daphne finished for him. "I'll admit that I'm good with plans, especially when it comes to manipulating people and the government but I need control. When everything falls apart, I'm not going to be much use." She hugged herself and looked down. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Harry nervously put an arm around her in an attempt to reassure her as she looked at the others. "You all know what happens around me, every damn year." He looked around, catching each persons eyes in turn. "I'm not the most ethical person in the world... I don't have nightmares from killing people, I don't care if bystanders get hurt on the way... Hell, you've seen the scars that where on my back from before I came here. That was the first eleven years of my life, those aren't just physical..." He trailed off.

"We know." Neville stated sadly. "And we don't care. Look at me." He repeated. "Look at me." Harry finally relented. "We don't care for one simple reason. You will never betray your friends." Neville smiled wryly. "You're everything someone could ask for in a leader, simply because you care and if anything happened to Luna I'd be happily at her bedside knowing you'd be destroying whoever was responsible." He looked around. "I think I speak for all of us when I say this. When the time comes. We'll follow your lead."

Silence.

Harry sighed.

"No pressure then." He said eventually.

"Just be yourself." Daphne said in reply. "Maybe a little more assertive, but remember that we're always here to help and you have practically been in charge for the last four years."

"So, how have your studies been going?" Hermione asked when the silence got a little too much to bear.

"Well, other than accidentally becoming a magical Lord, gaining an alliance with Susan's aunt, not letting Dumbledore's watchers onto the fact I'm probably better than they are, not much. I've finished researching battle potions and have a couple that could be useful. The time stop potion is not one of them. It works, but you can barely walk when it runs out, leaving you extremely vulnerable to more than one opponent." He said sadly. "I've also been refining my combat techniques and given up on martial arts, they just don't work for me. Other than that I've been brewing potions in the shed and creating more quicksilver." He shrugged and checked his watch. "I need to go before Moody turns up and reports that I was back late, I'll see you all in September. Stay safe." They all raced over to hug him and give the odd kiss on the cheek as he tried to get through the wards they'd all put up.

Luna was the next to turn around, grabbing hold of Neville's arm. "We're off as well, someone mentioned a cinema earlier and something called a 'horror film'" She smiled absently. "I hope everything goes well for you seven. It's a nice number." She stuck her tongue out and dragged her boyfriend off with her.

Erin replaced the privacy wards with a wave of her wand and turned on Hermione, taking a piece of parchment from her pocket and laying it on the table. "Explain." She stated coldly. "That's some form of distorted amplifying ritual circle with a destabilising aspect, Harry said you had him looking into a mutagenic potion and now you've called the seven of us together to discuss our agreement."

Hermione looked around at the other six and swallowed. "Just hear me out before asking questions, please." She said softly. "It started after the shopping trip, I'd found a rare book that described the basis for family magics." Daphne gasped. "More importantly it contained several theories and the ritual used to create them. I... I studied them the best I could, made calculations and so forth, coming up with a way that I could ensure that both I and my children would inherit whatever power I gained." She sat back down, staring off into thin air. "So I sent the various components of the ritual off to get them checked over by others, without telling you what they were so I could be sure they were right. Where they?" She pushed her own piece of paper across. Erin compared the two as Daphne started speaking.

"Are you sure of this?" She started nervously. "It's a well known fact amongst the pureblood communities that family magics arise after a bloodline has remained 'pure' for long enough. That's what the title of Ancient House really means, your bloodline has been around for long enough to generate it's own magical affinities and gift. There have been some rather intriguing studies on the subject."

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. What I read makes more sense than these gifts spontaneously developing and then emerging upon your Majority. If it was down to bloodlines, it should emerge by eleven at least."

Daphne frowned. "I know that there are rituals that can force the ability out early but they almost always ruin the bloodline." Daphne said nervously. "So it stands to reason that rituals must be able to effect it, therefore your method doesn't necessarily prove theirs wrong."

"Even so, I'd imagine that a lot of purebloods exaggerate their own talents and I doubt they're willing to reveal if theirs has weakened over the generations..." Hermione looked hesitantly at the three purebloods in their group.

"They wouldn't, if they talk of them at all." Daphne replied slowly. "This goes no further than this room, but at one time the Greengrasses were feared across the continent for the ability to pass through objects and knock someone out with a touch." She leant back. "My father can barely cause a sting with his fingers, and becoming immaterial?" She laughed. "We haven't been able to do that for generations. What is possibly more important is who wrote this book?"

Hermione smiled weakly. "I got it and the Necromancy books from a small stand in the black market. They were all uncursed and free of enchantments apart from this one. The author was an obvious pseudonym. Arnon. E. Mouse." She shook her head. "Anonymous. I can't even trace the age of it, because all of them where new copies."

"Did anyone else purchase anything from that stall?" Daphne asked as they all leaned into the conversation.

"Not that I noticed, but there's no way he could have known who I was. Unless..." She gasped. "Of course, my wand. How could I have been so stupid!" She swore.

"The runes all check out, and so does the arithmancy." Erin said shakily as she passed the notes over to Hannah. "For what it's worth, I'm fairly sure this isn't a trap and might actually work."

"So we actually have six players in the game." Daphne sighed, rubbing her temples. "Dumbledore, Riddle, the Ministry, the Goblins, our mysterious book sellers and us. For all we know that could have been an Unspeakable at that stall. They'd certainly have access to the books you found from it and are supposed to be doing research into magic. I believe we can trust what they've given us so far." She continued. "What we can't trust is their motives. It's possible they just want some new bloodline powers in circulation to be harvested or incredibly powerful witches that they'll try to control or bind. But we'll worry about that when it occurs. I haven't had a chance to look at what the DoM actually sent us properly, but it wasn't a standard contract. Hence why I told no one to sign it."

They all nodded. "So, back to this ritual..." Blaise started nervously.

"Right, yes." Hermione started hesitantly. "The goblins gave me another set of books, some of which were on Magical Bonds, Lordship and other topics of mutual profit. It's how I knew about the Vow of Non-Interference. Using what it said as a basis, I calculated that, by performing the ritual at the moment of our Majority, the effects would be far more powerful." She met each of their eyes at once. "It would also destabilise our cores, as the influx of energy, in combination with the runes and mutagens, would destroy the natural channels that our magic would settle into. In short, our magic would be uncontrollable, if we survived at all." She smiled. "But I realised I could introduce another variable to account for that."

"Harry." Daphne said. It was not a question.

"Precisely. If he had a magical bond with us he could, theoretically as an alchemist, stabilise our core at its peak, shaping and altering our magic's growth however he wanted. With the time stop potion, I think it will work." Hermione said quietly. "But to guarantee it, and get the best result. To get the best result he would need to... well, take us in mind, body and soul at the exact moment of our Majority." She looked at the others, blushing.

"So... let me get this straight. You want to do a ritual, with Harry, at the exact moment of your seventeenth birthday that involves him screwing you in both mind and body then effectively messing with your soul as well purely for some power and a bloodline ability?" Daphne asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione blushed and looked down at her feet. "The use of three stabilises it and improves the available control he'll have, so... yeah."

"Fine, but my birthday's first." Daphne said with a sadistic grin. Hermione's eyes shot up.

"You... you have to hear me out first." She said softly. "There are other effects, things you might not want..." She looked around sheepishly.

"I'm waiting." Daphne said darkly.

"Well, to start with, we'll need an initial bond with him." She said softly. "The Lordship bond would be perfect, as it would enhance his magic a little with each person. The thing is that, at the height of the ritual, the bond will deepen. I'm not sure how, it could end up as a soul bond, or a slave bond, or... I don't know. All I know is that it will be directly related to the power increase you get and will be permanent. In a kind of death and beyond sort of way." She said softly. "If any of us does this, there will be no way to back out, we will belong to him completely."

Hannah shivered, looking round the contemplative looks. "I'm in." She said after a moment. "We all need someone to research the Dark Arts, and Necromancy too, to find out how He came back so..." She trailed off. "It's gotten to the point where I'm not sure I could stop. Even with your help. Being bound to Harry will mean I'll probably stay me and not turn into a Dark Lady or something. Besides, it's Harry, if he's as good in bed as he is with everything else..." She trailed off.

Daphne nodded. "I've made my choice as well, there are only three sides in this war. Dumbledore's, Harry's and Riddle's. I will follow him to the beyond if it gives me the tools to help him." She smiled. "Plus, this way I get a slice of him."

"I would but I'd have problems sharing him so... blatantly." Padma started. Hermione blushed again.

"Well, there's something I wanted to do any way, if someone else agreed. Lordship wasn't the only group bond mentioned in the books the goblins provided us with." Hermione started nervously. "Theoretically, if we were to form a coven bond, it would smooth out any jealousy felt between us because anything that belongs to the coven belongs to them all."

"Covens are illegal." Daphne started nervously. "Just thought I'd point that out." The others shared looks.

"I'm in." Blaise said calmly. "What?" She said to the others at their sharp looks. "We all want him. This way we all get him without killing each other. A power increase just means we're more likely to be alive at the end of it." The other girls slowly expressed their consent as reservation after reservation slowly crumbled.

Hermione took a large silver bowl and ceremonious looking dagger from her bag. The runes on both where inscribed in glowing silver that they all recognised. She placed it in the middle of the table. "To start a coven bond, we need to do a small ritual. I've already checked it out and it does exactly what it says in the book." She started nervously. "To start with each of us cuts the rune we think best represents us into the palm of our non-wand hand, letting the blood drip into the bowl. Once we have enough from everyone, we'll swear the oath."She showed them the paper she'd written it on and some of the tension in the air eased as they accepted what this meant.

Erin took the knife from her loose hands and cut the _'Therintastz' _into her hand, a rune expressing knowledge of the arts or a runic scholar. Holding the freely bleeding hand over the bowl she passed the dagger on.

Blaise cut a fey rune of illusion, Susan used the most potent rune of change she knew. Daphne traced the old rune for _'cunning blade'_, her father's favourite. Hannah carved an ancient sigil that roughly translated as a feminine variant of _'lich'_, Padma gave herself life. Hermione finished her palm off with a rune best described as _'knowing'. _The blade with their mixed blood sunk under the surface with a small 'splunk' and they began the oath, hands touching over the bowl.

"_Bound in Blood, we sisters swear to honour us before ourselves, magic, spirit and all we'll share. Hate and Jealousy will not bind us nor will our hands be raised against us. We are but one in place and purpose, together bound a single locus. Yet our paths we'll walk alone, but our sisters will always be home. What is forged this night will last forever, an eternity amongst the never." _Their voices had already combined, feeling similar to the elves of old in their stories, wind whispered around them, their hair flew around and the blood swirled. Drips falling into the direct centre of the bowl.

"_**Let it be so.**__" She cried, seven separate hands plunged into the bowl. Silvery lancing pain shot through her mind. Their minds. Seven was such a potent number... _

Susan wasn't quite sure if it was her waking up that woke everyone else up, or feeling everyone else wake up that woke her up. It was a little complicated like that. "Well this-"

"is weird." Daphne completed seamlessly.

"Mental bonding, absolute trust, we can probably sense each others' location as well. And..." The others felt a small burst of power. "Share our energy to some extent." She smiled at the others feeling of calm and happiness, though no one was sure just who had spoken.

"It's like we have a twin bond or something." Padma said nervously. "And mine's gone. Not that that's a bad thing." She said happily. "No more sister bugging me for help in tests."

Erin's gasp and astonishment pulled the rest of them towards her, she was staring at her hand and arm. Silver writing and swirling pictograms were spread all across her arm and stopped just before her shoulder. "This is going to take me years to decode." She said softly. "It's some form of runic masterwork, but it doesn't do anything if I feed it power." She look at Hermione, "Can I have a look at yours?" Hermione nodded.

Daphne giggled, slightly hysterically. "Nobody mentioned anything about a coven mark." She said softly. Hermione gasped, feeling of completeness, elation and... arousal? Filtered through to the rest of them as she jerked her hand back from Erin's touch.

"Okay." Hermione said after she'd gotten her breath back. "New rules. One, no touching anyone else here with your bare coven mark. Two: We keep them covered, always. Shield bracer are always on from now on, and long sleeve shirts are back in style." She looked desperately at the others. "I swear, this wasn't in the book."

"We know." Susan said softly as she checker her own mark out and slipped her glove back on. "I don't think any of us can lie to each other now. Do you think Harry remembered to pay the bill?" She asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Ah, well, I'm paying for this one." Hermione said quickly. "At least, I'm supposed to be." The seven sisters relaxed and started planning their next move and the seduction of one Harry James Potter.

OoooOoooO

Daphne was the last to leave, stopping Hermione as Blaise and Padma were side-alonged by her father. Her eyes where filled with sorrow as she stared at her friend of five years. "Are you absolutely certain you want to do this?" Hermione frowned, and looked away.

"Why wouldn't I be? I suggested it." She asked hesitantly. "You and the others were fine with it."

"The others don't owe him a Life Debt. You know it will be called in if you try to do this." Daphne stated calmly. "I still want my friend at the end of this, not a drone or slave."

Hermione looked pained. "Harry would never do that." Daphne sighed, her friend still wasn't looking at her even when she'd gone and provoked her. "And technically, it's three Life Debts."

Daphne's mouth fell open in shock. "Three?" She blinked. "But I thought there was just the troll?"

"Werewolf in third year and Riddle at the ministry." She said softly. "It's a wonder I can stay away from him."

Daphne just smirked a little. "Well, it explains why you got us to drop everything and help him through that tournament." She shook her head. "Just don't come complaining if you find yourself answering his every whim." Hermione blushed. "Is that what's really bothering you?"

"I'm his Bellatrix." Hermione's haunted eyes met hers. "I'd do anything for him, and if he ordered me to become his personal slave... I'd probably enjoy every minute of it. Especially if it involved sex."

"But you're not sure whether it's the Debt's or you that's speaking." Daphne stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You realise, of course, that if what I've heard is correct, both Snape and Wormtail owe Harry Life Debts?" Hermione looked up at her in a mixture of hope and confusion.

"Then, why am I..." She asked tenderly before Daphne enveloped her in a hug.

"Because it simplifies things to your lovely logical mind." Daphne whispered into the girls ear. "If all you have to worry about is what Harry wants you to do and not what you're going to do when this is over, what you're going to learn next, how to keep everyone you care about safe or how little the magical world makes sense... It's a kind of freedom." She smiled faintly. "I have to admit I was tempted... Besides some girls just like it that way." They both chuckled weakly.

"Thank you for telling me." Daphne said after a comfortable silence. "It's not easy, revealing that kind of thing but you've picked the best Master around. He'll take care very good care of you." Her lips curled up in a half smile. "More importantly, he'll take very good care of all of us."

"I just... didn't expect this." Hermione admitted.

"You didn't expect the troll either." Daphne joked.

OoooOoooO

_October 31st 1991 – Girls Lavatory_

"_Wingardium Leviosa!"_ The trolls hands came down and the girls screaming stopped. The giant mass of spell-resistant muscle blinked. How was food still alive?

The troll looked up. Harry flicked his wand down.

Hermione Granger gaped as the silent boy their group occasionally watched walked calmly up to an unconscious troll, unstopped a vial and pouring a potion down its throat. "I don't know whether that will even work on it." He said, striding over to her. "Hermione... Hermione Granger?" He reached out to touch her as she failed to respond.

The bushy hair girl stared on with wide eyes as he put a vial in front of her. "Drink." He commanded softly. Almost absently she downed the grass-tasting potion. Blinking, she looked around, the monster wasn't as scary as it used to be. "Right, we need to get back to the tower quick, I'm not sure whether Sleeping Draught even works on trolls." He repeated as he dragged her out.

"What did you give me?" She asked nervously once they where free of the stench. "Not that I mind. I think."

"It was a calming draught. I'm not really good with people, sorry." Harry explained nervously and let go of her hand.

"Oh." Hermione's mind ticked over. "I didn't expect you to come and get me after Ron..."

Harry's face fell. "Don't listen to him." He said softly. "I'm the one with no friends, not you. If you want to get rid of him, just head to the library - it works like a charm."

"POTTER!" Snape's voice bellowed down the corridor and they both froze. The only good thing about the situation was that Professor McGonagall was there as well.

OoooOoooO

_1st November 1991 – Hogwarts Library_

"Look, he's all alone over there, why don't we ask him to join us?" Hermione put nervously to the other five.

Blaise rolled her eyes. "You just have a crush on him for saving your life, don't you?"

Daphne glared at her. "I think we should as well, he'd be a good ally to have. But only as an auxiliary member, for studying." She looked nervously at the others. "He's going to attract a lot of attention so we don't tell him about the other stuff we're looking into, okay? Just study with him?"

"What is it with you and politics Daphne?" Susan asked, "You always have to go and look for motives and benefits and... and, well, other stuff. I say we help him because he helped one of us. Having him on a trial period seems like a good idea though, we need to make sure he can keep a secret."

"So... everyone fine with inviting him to our table?" They all raise their hands in assent. "Okay, Hermione you get to go and get him."

The bushy haired girl blushed. "Why do I have to do it?"

"Because you put him forward to join and because you cast the ward today." Daphne said with a roll of her eyes. "Now go and get him."

Hermione sighed, got up and started towards the subject of their discussions who sat in happy ignorance by the Potions section, studying something intently. She hovered in the background for a bit until he noticed her and quickly closed his book. _The Bulumdin Guide to Reaction Series. _She didn't recognise it.

"I wanted to thank you. For yesterday." She said softly as he stared. "It's not everyday a cute boy saves your life." He blushed.

"No problem." He said quickly. "Anyone would have done the same."

"Yes, but you where the only one who did." The silence stretched on for a bit before her curiosity got the better of her. "What did you have those potions for anyway?" She asked quickly. "Not that it's really my business that is."

"I get... nightmares. Sometimes." He said nervously. "They help." The silence stretched on. "Any how, I should probably get back to this. We have a potions essay in next week, and I have to write two feet more than anyone else."

"Yeah, well, about that." Hermione blushed. "I've noticed that you always seem to be studying alone and, well..." He looked back up at her. "Can you keep a secret?"

Madam Pince watched a seventh member join the interesting study group that occupied the corner of her library and patched up their failing attention ward from a distance. It was nice to see a group of students who saw past the petty rivalries.

OoooOoooO

_24th July 1996, Headmasters Office, Hogwarts_

Fawkes was laughing.

"You're not helping, you know?" A slightly hung over Dumbledore croaked at the offending phoenix. "After yesterday I need it. A complete bloody investigation by the DMLE and all my vaults sealed, contracts negated." He crumpled in his chair before taking the headache potion. "How am I supposed to ensure that everything proceeds as it must if I don't have the resources to do so?"

"The Order has fallen apart." He continued. "First Tonks turns out to be a traitor, then the Weasley's all withdraw. Even the twins have left! Bloody troublemakers. Of course to top it all off, Remus goes and leaves as well. Royally pissed off that Sirius' letter claimed I 'sacrificed' him for 'my own sick amusement'. I swear, the youth these days have no idea how the world should be. What we'll have to do to get back to the glories of the past!"

He glared at the staffing changes he'd already arranged, resolving to add one more. It would annoy Severus, but everything annoyed Severus. It was time for him to take over the young Potter's training personally, swearing him to secrecy on his techniques and skills like any good master would. That would drive that Granger girl away, if nothing else would. He'd work on the boy to cut off that independent streak he seemed to have developed lately. Hell he could even use this as 'repayment' until the boy understood how vital that money was to his cause and got over whatever petty feeling of betrayal he must have.

Now he just had to deal with his immediate situation and the disturbing reports he was getting from his ministry contacts. Why hadn't Amelia just rolled over and accepted his justifications after the trial? He'd felt certain that his aura had taken care of any lingering suspicions between them. Why the degree of resistance she'd shown was absurd, close only to Riddle's followers...

Albus Dumbledore, high in his Ivory Tower paled at the prospect. "This is not good. No, this is not good at all." He lamented. But it explained so much, she would have been influencing Harry through her daughter and ensured that he arrived at the Will hearing on time to hear Sirius' misguided accusations. Tom had managed to corrupt one of his own pieces and use it to threaten his knight, and it was Amelia who'd turned, of all the people. A bastion of Light who he'd worked hard to get into that important positions. His stomach sank, he must have gotten to her in that attack, maybe placed spells or bindings on her niece.

He could deal with that in September. For now he would have to survive the allegations she was sure to bring against him without bringing the public into it. Putting the Potter problem on hold, he went to floo his followers.

OoooOoooO

_24th July, Patil Estate_

"Where were you last night?" The stern Indian man with greying hair studied his daughter for the barest hint of deceit.

Padma scowled and looked up at him from her studies. "Out with friends." She said, before turning back to her book.

"And why, might I ask, did you spend the entire night out with these 'friends' of yours, where not even your sister could find you, when your betrothed came round to visit." He snarled.

"Well, maybe if you told me what was going on, I could have saved you the embarrassment of not being there. Then again, I could have saved you the hassle of signing a betrothal contract that will never be fulfilled." Padma said calmly.

"Do you have any idea what I've done for you, the lengths I have gone to get you a good marriage..." He trailed off. "You Will Look at Me When I am Talking to You."

"Why?" His daughter asked. "Why should I consider what you want when you never consider what I want."

The book went flying, pages spilled across the floor. Parvati, hiding in the doorway watched as Shiva herself came to life in her sister's eyes and her father was bound, disarmed and choking against the wall before he had a chance to react. A multitude of small cuts peppered his face. She shivered, she hadn't felt the anger.

For the first eleven years of her life they'd shared almost everything, apart from their taste in reading material and friends of course. But in the first year she'd found a way to limit the bond to strong things, like the happiness she felt when no one could find her and the pain she felt whenever her crush got hurt. But now, when her twins' anger should be igniting her own, there was nothing.

Parvati Patil felt truly alone for the first time.

"You are lucky father." Padma said as she stood up, book clutched against her chest by a shimmering gauntlet. "You didn't do any permanent damage. This is after all, a fifteenth century manuscript on healing techniques lent to me by a very young, very powerful Lord of this country, or did you fail to factor that in when you decided to betroth me. That I might have someone more worthy that your choice?" A flick of her wand unsilenced the man.

"The Notts would have been a-" He was cut off by his daughters slightly hysterical laughter.

"And what did they promise you then, a title? Status? Money?" She snarled. "Because they will have none of it, and the only living Nott is someone that it would disgust me to call friend. Did you even think of me when you made this pact?" She asked softly.

Her father glared, rage burning inwards. When had his daughter gotten this wilful, more importantly, how was he going to get her back under his control and sign the agreement- the was a faint tickle at the back of his mind before what felt like a hammer smashed through his skull.

A sad Padma broke eye contact and let the body slide to the floor. "I'm sorry." She said softly, raising her wand to silently obliviate the mental assault from his mind. "But you are not my family." Her eyes met Parvati's as her twin gasped. "It looks like you'll be continuing the family name after all." She said softly, as she started to gather her belongings into the enchanted bag Blaise had made her. "Even if I'm older by ten minutes." Reaching the fireplace, she grabbed a handful of floo powder, concern for her sisters making her erect a silencing ward about her.

Parvati saw her sister mouth _'Take care of mother for me.'_ before turning to the fireplace and disappear in a swirl of green flame. Her father's wand resting on the mantle piece. She never heard the address.

It was only five minutes later that she realised her sister had done magic out of school and her father would use that to expel her from Hogwarts. Then they'd break her twin's wand and leave her truly alone in this world...

* * *

><p><em>AN: One more chapter left before they return to Hogwarts. Incidentally I have one more chapter left in my buffer so updates will be slowing down.<em>

_A lot of people have been saying that this reads a little like a sequel and looking back over it I have to admit that it does. The problem is that I wanted the group to be well established but at the same time don't really want to spend time hashing out every event of the first five books as they occur almost identically to those books. Sixth year is the year where everything changes and I don't think I'm going to be doing any more first year flashbacks (The only second year ones would be Luna & Erin joining their group)_

_I could write a story from the flashbacks in this one but it would probably revolve around Hermione or Daphne side-lining things like the war and the yearly chaos that Harry gets into. I'm not certain I could write it but I could try if people want me to._

_**nroe03742:** That was listing what a Lord had exemptions to do and was mostly foreshadowing._

_**Slifer1988:** I hope this chapter and AN has answered your questions._

_**mwinter1:** It's a test of alchemy, and Dumbledore hasn't taken the access test since he became headmaster, so he never knew he had access._

_As always comments, critiques and advice is very welcome._


	6. Until Death Plays It's Part

_AN: This chapter started off small, with a bit of an information dump. It has since been edited and grown by ten pages, which meant I had to edit it again, just to make sure. So it took a little longer than expected._

_Thank you all very much for the encouraging comments you left last chapter. Hopefully this one will spark even more.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6 – Until Death Plays it's Part<strong>_  
>24th July, Department of Magical Law Enforcement<em>

"I want her dealt with to the full extent of the law. Attacking me in my own home like that in blatant violation of the Decree of Underage Sorcery!" The old Indian man stated imposingly, the iron streaks running through his black hair left no doubt to his age and standing. The mass of cuts across his body left no doubt as to the truth of the accusations.

"I assure you we'll take care of this, Mister Patil." Madame Bones said carefully, feeling slightly sick as a sadistic grin wormed its way onto his face.

"Good, as I remember the penalties for disobeying the Head of House are quite strict in this country." He smiled. "I have already formally disowned her for her assault on my person which I believe makes her nameless... I'm sure you know the laws to which I am referring?"

"Let us assume I do not." The Head of the DMLE answered with a sigh.

"Well, since she's no longer a pureblood or half-blood witch in your societies eyes it's perfectly acceptable that payment for her crimes be in the form of enforced servitude. I'm sure she'd be willing to form the concubine bond over years in Azkaban. I promised the Nott family one of my daughters and they will have her, willing or not. It is matter of honour." Madame Bones was revolted. She knocked over the case recording quill with a frown. "A thousand galleon donation to the DMLE should expedite things, I believe." He added as an afterthought, but his eyes never left hers.

Madame Bones leant back in her chair. "One Thousand Galleons..." She laughed in his face. "If that is truly what you believe she is worth, I pity you." She smiled like a shark as she decided her course of action. For actions spoke louder than words.

"You are refusing my offer then." The man straightened. "Let me be clear with you Madame Bones, I may be a foreigner and I may not be the Head of an Ancient or Noble House, but my daughter goes to Hogwarts and I still have power here and with the ICW. You are just a women with a semblance of authority."

Amelia snorted. "Because you are a foreigner I will go easy on you and explain just how badly you have screwed yourself over. Padma has committed no crime, as she is under the protection of an Ancient and Most Noble House; your attempts to marry her off without her Lord's consent is salvageable only by your ignorance of the situation. Her assault can and will be viewed as simple self-defence against possible criminal activity. She's also been exempt from the Decree of Underage Sorcery for several weeks now so that charge is also a non-issue. Disowning her and indicating your desire to take a young women protected by an Ancient and Most Noble House as a concubine slave..." She laughed. "When I inform her Lord of what you have just attempted... Let me say that I could not have come up with a quicker way of committing political suicide in this country."

Her expression turned hard. "Do not threaten me again, Mister Patil, as you have said I am a woman in a place of significant authority in a chauvinistic, bloodline obsessed society." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do not assume I got here by chance or patronage." She smiled. "Good day."

The man in front of her swallowed. Eyes darted from side to side. He half-bowed stiffly and went to leave. Amelia went to follow. For seven years she'd played all sides against each other, getting a reputation as an extremely competent Auror who refused to take bribes and favoured no side. Her appointment was a compromise in a game of favouritism. She was sick of serving this society.

"I hope you pay your twenty galleon fine for attempted bribery on your way out." She yelled after the fleeing man. "Wouldn't want an honourable man such as yourself taken in like a common criminal." She snickered as his pace increased. Her tone lacked any emotion as she turned to the desk Auror for the day. "Dawlish, give me your badge and whatever that odorous man paid you to grant him an audience with me, you are done here. Be glad you didn't pull that stunt with Scrimgeour, he was elected minister last night and..." Her eyes found the Daily Prophet and the Auror shivered as rage ran rampant across her face. Her mind was made up.

OoooOoooO

_Greengrass Estate, an hour earlier._

Daphne sat down on the stairs as she felt a quietly seeping sadness. Channelling more magic into her constant Occlumantic shields didn't stop it, so what was causing... The floo chimed. "Allow Entry!" She yelled at the wards as she scampered down the last remaining steps.

The door to the living room slammed open. Padma was trembling, silvery tracts running down her face as she stood there, staring at the floor. "Are you okay?" Daphne asked, "Was there an attack? Is your family oka-" She stepped back as a shard of hurt surged through her. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked quickly, going for a hug. Sorrow and despair flooded the pair before the threw themselves apart.

Blinking her own tears out of her eyes, she managed a half-smile at her nervous sister in the doorway. Ice numbed everything as she gasped for air. Her hands weren't shaking any more. Smiling, she pitied the fool who believed Occlumency was simply the art of shielding their mind. "It's okay 'Stori." She tried to reassure the girl, frantically reaching for a plan. "My Sister's just had a bad time."

Getting to her feet, she walked over to the trembling Indian girl. "Sister!" Her blood-sister squeaked indignantly. Daphne put it out of her mind, pulling her magic towards her mind as her hand touched Padma. Cold flame burnt away the broiling emotion that channelled up their link.

Padma felt the weight lift from her shoulders as she stood up, a dull happiness replacing the fleeting despair. Her friends would take care of her and Daphne would come up with a plan. She always had a plan. "Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you very much."

The blond Slytherin released the Occlumentic Suppression with a gasp, the chill slowly seeping away. Now her 'sister' was reassuring her with the feelings easing across the bond. But did she dare dismiss the lingering regrets? Blaise would be a definite, but only in bed, Hermione on the other hand... she bit her lip. Could she risk it? Padma's eyes met hers. They both blushed. _Mood swings. Blame it on the mood swings._

"Timir." CRACK. The two girls jumped apart, the hands they where holding shoved quickly behind their backs. Damien Greengrass burst out laughing as his daughter and her girlfriend's actions. "Prepare the guest-room for Daphne's friend, she looks like she'll need it." CRACK. The house elf disappeared as Damien guided his youngest daughter to one of the lounges as he gestured for the other two girls. "Now," he said warmly, "I'm sure the two of you have a story to tell." The Indian girl looked away and Daphne didn't move to take her hand away.

Damien sighed as he read the language between them and the story started. They reacted all wrong for a couple, but the last thing he'd do is drive away the last remainder of his love he had over an infatuation, if that's what this was.

"Well, you are more than welcome to stay here for as long as we can host you. What we can't do though, is shield you from any legal repercussions." He put forward gently at the end of Padma's tale. They both smiled up at him and expressed their thanks. "The Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass isn't powerful enough politically to do much for you I'm afraid. We're independents, and not wealthy ones either."

Daphne threw her father a look and smiled. "I think I've thought of a way out if it does come to court... No one can confirm when an oath is made and the Head of an unconfirmed Ancient House has practically no rights over a member of their House if they're under the protection of a Most Noble House." She smirked. "It's why the Blacks could never get Sirius legally or magically when he made friends with James Potter." All eyes turned to her. "What? I'm not the only one who studied that bit of history in third year."

Padma rolled her eyes. "Thank you, both of you."

Damien hugged his youngest daughter and bent down to whisper in her ear. "See, told you there was a good explanation for it, now why don't you go and finish that assignment while I lay out some ground rules for these two." Astoria stared up at him, smiled and scampered off. "I wonder what she's plotting." He mused reluctantly, the girl was being far too quiet.

A flick of the wand closed the door and he raised an eyebrow as his eldest threw up her own secrecy wards, _silently. _Finishing his off he turned his gaze on the girls. "I am not going to ask how the two of you know each other or how you can both cast wards silently, nor am I going to ask which Most Noble Lord you're getting yourselves involved with." He said calmly. "What I am going to ask is what those silver tattoos are." They both stared at him nervously so he decided to go a little further.

"I also know about the bracer you've been wearing Daphne, I taught you how to break a Unnoticeable Ward remember? And while I appreciate the rune array on the top is the anchor for the mobile ward I was hoping you'd be willing to tell me what it is. I'm willing to allow a lot of things, but if someone or something is going to put either of my daughters at risk, I want to be able to deal with it."

"Dad..." Daphne started. "He wouldn't hurt us, he's not Dumbledore or Riddle if that's what you're worried about." She sighed. "The glove has a rune array on the inside, made of a magically conductive material. When in skin contact, that array works as a foci for a specific shield charm. It's not as good as a second wand, but it works." She shrugged. "The tattoos. It's best if you don't know."

Damien leant back. Veritaserum deniability, he understood that. Now, he didn't recognise them so he was left with what had upset 'Stori. 'Sister'. An honorific, used amongst concubines of the same wizard in the darker parts of Europe and abroad but his daughter would either admit it or tell him that she couldn't say. That implied something possibly similar, but beneficial... Puzzling. "Thank you for being honest with me, but I'd like to meet with Harry at some point."

"Christmas?" Daphne asked. Her father nodded as he started dismissing the privacy wards.

"Acceptable. I'll leave you two girls to it, just explain things to 'Stori, she might be jealous of your new sister." Damien left with a smile on his face as they blushed.

"Your Dad..." Padma whispered afterwards. "How did he?"

"I did say I only took after my mother in looks." Daphne smirked as they got back to the important thing: Snuggling.

They only broke apart when a letter was dropped on their Padma's head by a rather irritated owl. Daphne did her best to reassure her as she cracked open the Ministry seal. "It's from Madame Bones, she's dismissed all charges." Padma said happily before retreating further into her friends comforting embrace. "He disowned me, thank Merlin..." The two carried on reading.

Daphne cackled as she read the last part of the letter. "Oh yes, Lord Black will be showing his displeasure. So will Greengrass if I have any say in the matter." Burning blue eyes met Padma's scared brown as righteous anger battered the fear away. "He wanted you as a concubine. No one fucks with me and mine and gets away with it."

Padma rested her head in the crook of her arm. "You sound like Harry when you say that." The Slytherin girl smirked.

OoooOoooO

_**Albus Dumbledore receives Ministerial Pardon**_

_by Rita Skeeter_

_Today Cornelius Fudge, in one of what is suspected to be his last moves has attempted to right some of his previous mistakes, rescinded the warrant out for the Headmaster of Hogwart's arrest and arranged a pardon for Dumbledore and others that have been fundamental to preventing You-Know-Who from regaining his body and returning to his full strength. The esteemed High Warlock had this to say when we questioned him about it,_

_'I would have loved to have Ministry support for the last sixteen years that we've been tirelessly researching how he could have remained alive if my suspicions where correct. It's only in the last five years that I've found any direct proof he still existed. I tried to get the Ministry involved as soon as I had proof, but a hunger ridden dementor accidentally kissed Barty Crouch Jr. and prevented my claims from being verified.'_

_The Great Albus Dumbledore went on to elaborate how he and his 'trusted confederates' would continue seeking ways to end You-Know-Who permanently with the aid of the Boy-Who-Lived. We can only hope that...'_

"What utter bullshit." Madam Bones announced throwing the paper down to the group of Aurors she personally trusted without reproach. "You've all seen the crimes he used this as an escape clause from, and the law he passed baring non-humans from testifying conveniently dismisses all attempts at bringing in goblin evidence." Her eyes found Shacklebolt.

"Don't look at me." He said calmly. "I have no idea what he'll try to do next, but he spent the entirety of yesterday sourcing enough money to pay off Fudge. I'm not entirely sure how he managed it, he certainly couldn't have convinced the goblins that Lord Black to parted with some of his funds even if Harry showed up in person."

"Wait, you're a spy?" Tonks blurted out. "I thought you were as loyal as the rest of them..." Her eyes flickered between the others in the room.

"As if the Department of Law Enforcement would be incompetent enough not to notice and keep track of a Lord's followers and their actions." Amelia stated bitterly. "Let us hope the Old Bastard doesn't take the charges personally and come after me or Susan." She sighed. "I was disgusted at how easy it was for him to dismiss enough crimes for thirteen life sentences in Azkaban."

"If what you're trying to say is that this government has fallen apart at the edges, that corruption is rampant and you've finally realised that the criminals have been running the government." The pale pureblood loitering at the edges of the conversation said firmly. "There are more pleasant ways of doing it than asking us to swear a secrecy oath."

"Enough, Gawain." Madam Bones said firmly. "I realised that a long time ago but we have bigger problems now. I'm assuming that at least one of you is completely clueless about our Sovereignty with Binn's teaching history." She sighed in exasperation at the entire room full of black looks. "I'll put it bluntly, at the establishment of magical Britain five Lords and their followers forged a treaty in blood and stone, claiming this land as their own Sovereign domain in the eyes of magic. They established our original laws as if they were binding oaths. Any child born here is linked to this magic the moment they tap into or use any magic in this country. Since its creation the magic has been modified and added to in accordance with treaties, power shifts and other incidents. The last modification was made in 1692."

"When Britain ratified the statue of secrecy, but before Clause 73 affecting magical creatures ?" Tonks added.

"Precisely. At some point between those two laws, the knowledge of how and why the land magic should be altered appears to have been lost, banned or fallen out of favour. Knowledge that there was such a magic probably disappeared some time in the last one or two hundred years." Amelia carried on. "Which means that all the laws introduced since then that established pureblood society, guilds, discrimination against the muggleborn..." She trailed off. "Isn't regarded as law by the magic of this country and there are several whose enforcement are considered illegal acts since at that point opinion was firmly based on the magical vs mundane conflict and protecting muggleborns from the hunts."

"This is a problem because the Sovereignty magic is embedded into the very Ley-Lines of this country. It's how Obliviators know where to go and whose memories to modify, it is the base of Underage Sorcery detection, the very essence of contractual magics, including marriage and family magics. It is what has bound the dementors to Azkaban and Ministry control for the last seven centuries." She started pacing.

"The magic feeds off of the lands energy. Therefore, the less it needs enforcing the more powerful it becomes and the less energy it needs to draw." She paused. "It's taken me five fucking years to find that out. Five bloody years to work out how the magic that my entire department is based on works!" The others in the room shivered. Amelia might not have been a Lord with her own aura, but she could intimidate dragon on a day like this.

"I don't quite see how this applies to us. If it's powered by the ley-lines it should be fine, right?" Shacklebolt put forward. "It's not as though they can just run out." Amelia scowled and shook her head.

"If only that where true. How many of you know the tales of Merlin's era? The songs of dragons, warnings of the Sidhe, of Greater Fey. Of shaman and druids? The locations of ancient Groves, burial sites? Ghosts outside of Hogwarts?" She looked around the room. "The only elves there are now are forced to scavenge magic from mortals, there are no Groves, pixies are a nuisance and the nearest living place for Dragons, which our Isle was once famous for... is Romania. To top it all off, the most magical place in Britain, Hogwarts, isn't part of the Sovereignty. The four founders established their own domain with the consent of the Council of Elders in 934." She stopped and laughed shakily. "Magical Britain is dead and as far as I can tell, we've killed it."

"This might explain what's been happening in my department... When was Dumbledore's pardon signed?" Gawain asked nervously.

"Some when before eleven, yesterday. Why?" Shacklebolt supplied.

"At 10:50, yesterday evening the magical detection grid failed in several sectors. No one's quite sure what happened." Gawain shivered. "It was probably the exact same time that our chief legislator managed to break every rule in the book and get away with it. The good news is that the London sector is flickering on and off, so it's fixable. If we can stop the draw..." He snarled. "But I can't tell them, can I?" He turned to his nominal boss. "Why the hell aren't we allowed to tell this to others? I'm Head of the Department, I should be able to tell them what's wrong..." Everyone turned to their boos.

"Who wants to bet that the country's wards aren't tied to the ley-lines?" Amelia asked softly. "And who honestly believes that with a Dark Lord, the blood-purists, Dumbledore and the rest of them that this isn't going to fall?" Amelia glared at all of them. "You are here because I either trust you, or trust your Lord. If this information gets out, local Dark Lords will be the least of our problems, any megalomaniac with the ability to oath followers will come here waiting to carve out his own piece of real estate." They all nodded.

"I think I know why I'm here now." Tonks said softly. "There's a book that lists magical Lords, isn't there?"

"Yes there is." Gawain said nervously. "It's in my department near the book recording magical children. Soon it'll only be Lords and primal wizardry like Life Debts and bonds that will have any authority here."

"There's no need." Amelia stated as he started to get up. "I checked it before we called this meeting. There are only three Lords in Britain. Thomas Marvolo Riddle, the half-blood who goes by the name of Voldemort, Albus Bloody Dumbledore and Harry James Potter." Silence.

"Yeah, that was my reaction as well." She said with a half-hearted chuckle. "If anyone has a better idea than joining one of them and hoping he's powerful enough to salvage something from this, by all means I'm open to suggestion."

Gawain looked around at the group of five. If Amelia was correct and he'd place bets that she was, they ley-lines were capable of a quick recovery as sectors had gone down before but almost always came back up again within days. It would take something major for the magic to fail completely... Or near continuous wear. He stretched his memory, cursing himself for falling behind on the Occlumency his father had taught him and saw the pattern. Quite a few of the failing sectors were where the homes of powerful pureblood families that had children were and the flaws were spreading. Now the sector about the ministry had collapsed for the second time. The first being the incident with the department of Mysteries.

"So..." He started. No one else spoke for a while. "So... Harry Potter."

"Is he even capable of forming a fealty bond with us?" Shacklebolt asked nervously. "He hasn't achieved his Majority yet so the odds of him being more powerful than all of us is rather small."

"As far as I know, yes." Tonks said quietly. "He has at least one adult witch as a follower." The others shuffled nervously. Kingsley was the first to react, it started as a chuckle, then erupted to full blown laughter. They all needed it.

"So you are the reason Dumbledore has been running around like a headless phoenix since the will reading. I should have known. Harry it is." Shacklebolt looked at the others.

"Given a choice between a psychopath, a self-righteous bastard with grand ideas of blood purity and a sixteen year old idealist..." Gawain trailed off. "If Kingsley is in, I'll join his side. There's not many that you'd follow with that overblown sense of righteousness you have." Shacklebolt snorted but nodded in agreement regardless.

"I was always in." Luciena, the silent member of their group added. She took in the others stares as they took in the dark bags under her eyes. "What? He'll kill them all. My life for vengeance. No fucking Dumbledorian forgiveness or imperius claims." She snarled.

"Tonks..." Amelia said quickly before anyone could mention the women's dead husband and son that had been guarding her estate that night. "When can we meet with your Lord without alerting the watchers."

She smiled. "The evening results arrive will probably be the best." She explained. "From what I've been able to gather, Dumbledore is trying to up the competency of his watchers and relying on those who are oathed to him. Most will be occupied with Hogwarts' business that day. Actually, we could always use one of Shacklebolt's watches."

The man in question nodded. "I have only one other watch before then, the teachers review meeting tomorrow. I'll introduce myself to him then and explain out position." The others agreed.

OoooOoooO

_31st July, 4 Privet Drive_

Harry Potter stared up at the ceiling, munching on one of the chocolates Hermione had sent him for his un-birthday. He'd also gotten a couple of interesting items from the Twins along with some books from Tonks and Remus. The younger Weasley's and Molly's presents were currently in the bin in the back garden.

He rolled over and flipped to the next chapter on breeding magical snakes and how putting a chicken egg under a toad was a completely idiotic idea if you wanted a snake and proceeded to detail the potion that a viper egg had to be soaked in for a month. It then detailed the various alchemical processes that it had to undergo to produce the potent familiar-snake.

Checking the ingredients, he had nearly everything apart from lock of hair...

But then, giving someone a Basilisk was a really stupid idea for a prank, wasn't it?

OoooOoooO

_3rd August, Woods in the South East of England_

Hannah stared at the body, checking the notice-me-not ward one last time. Her trembling fingers might have messed up the ward, you see and that would not have been good. Pulling the fine bone wand from her second holster she pointed it at the body. "_Separare animum." _She cast a little reluctantly.

Nothing happened.

She checked her little black book, repeating the spell several times. Still no result. Frowning, she pointed her wand at the corpse with a swish and a flick. "_Wingardium Leviosa"_

Nothing happened.

She pulled her other wand quickly and the corpse levitated up even with her trembling hands. _"Separare animum." _Ice flooded through her veins, the addiction suppressed behind a cold emotionless wall as she watched the spirit of the rat rise from its body. The cold touch of it's death caressing her soul.

She felt the slightest curiosity, and flicked to the next spell diagram.

The alarm on her watch went off two hours later, dragging her kicking and screaming back to the cares of the living. The half-animated corpse was blown to pieces by a pulse of anger channelled through her wand.

Hannah Abbott dropped to her knees with a silly smile on her face. A _reducto _probably would have been a better idea. _Still,_ she noted as she walked back from the local woods. _Necromancy spells appear to consume emotion and suppresses the addiction. Perfect._ Smiling faintly she worked out a new study plan. At this rate, she'd be off the Dark Arts by term start.

OoooOoooO

_7th August 1996, 4 Privet Drive_

Harry chuckled as he looked at the parchment. There, in the centre of the protean parchment, was a big table, subjects listed calmly in Hermione's writing down one edge, all eight of their names down the other. Luna and Erin had scrawled some rather bemusing comments at the bottom. Harry didn't care; he was taking the day off.

He still checked on the potions he had simmering in the shed though. Gardening being the sole chore he hadn't given up on after learning how to properly threaten his house mates. As such there was a rather pleasant selection of non-magical ingredients growing at the back of it for the summer. Tomatoes, strawberries, dandelions... Some of them were rarely used in potions, as every living thing had a bit of magic that could destroy a careful reaction, but with a bit of alchemy he was still learning to control, it certainly helped with the taste. No one really wanted to taste the Butterbeak pus in the stronger blood replenishers. He also rather like strawberry calming draught.

That was how the disgruntled, snappish and so very ruffled looking owl found him and glared. "Yeah, I hate the redirection wards too." He confirmed, getting the bird a drink and some treats before slamming the letter it carried with a couple of detection charms. Finding it clear he opened it, noticing the stress lines in the wax seal. His watchers were just so _useless_ at hiding their interference.

_'**OWL Results for Harry James Potter**_

_Raw results and certificates have been placed in the designated vault, or bundled with this letter if no vault was specified. _

**Key:**

_Subject Theory Level / Practical Level / Overall Level_

_H – Honours. (The subject is believed to have surpassed NEWT level and may trade this in for an Acceptable pass NEWT certificate)_

_O – Outstanding. (* indicates pupil is working at NEWT level)_

_EE – Exceeds Expectations._

**Results:**

_Ancient Runes: O*/-/O*_

_Arithmancy: O*/-/O*_

_Astronomy: A/A/A_

_Care of Magical Creatures: EE/O/O _

_Charms: O*/O*/O*_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: H/H/H_

_Herbology: O/EE/O_

_History of Magic: O/-/O_

_Transfiguration: O*/O*/O*_

_Potions: H/H/H_

_Total OWLs: 10_

_The Ministry would like to congratulate you on the work and dedication required to reach an Honours level in a subject, an award only given out in very, very rare circumstance with a maximum of one per subject per year. This year was considered an extremely hard decision to make. In addition, your assessor for Potions, a Mr Edward Monkfish would like to put forward an offer of apprenticeship, though he is sure you could do much better._

_Your OWL results qualify you to take NEWT Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Charms... '_

Harry shrugged, entering his results into the table later than the others. Their results looked nearly identical to his own, but with everyone else getting honours in their favourite subjects. He expected it, they'd spent the last five years studying ahead together, with the exception of Neville and the two lower years, so it made sense that they'd know the same spells and have the same weak points.

Looking over the comments he found that Hermione was over the moon at her twin Honours in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, but Daphne was grouching about not getting one. He sighed and laid back. Life was good.

"What are you dong here?" His aunt snapped, breaking his reverie. "Whatever he's told you, we didn't do it. Been raising him as our own we have, so you can all head back to wherever you came from before the neighbours see you."

"Thank you for your suspiciously specific reassurance." The bubbly voice of Tonks ambled through the house, which explained why the wards hadn't gone off. "Tell Harry his one O'clock is here, would you?"

Harry saved her the hassle, his wand leading round the door frame of the lounge. "Wotcher Tonks. No hard feelings right?"

"You own a building at Twelve Grimmaud Place." Tonks stated quickly. "Don't trust your own wards?"

"You can't use that in he-" Petunia voice stopped as blue light hit her in the throat.

"Sorry about that, never got around to telling them I had an exemption." Harry said with a sigh. "And no, I don't trust anything that can be broken without me noticing. Constant vigilance and all. Go and get the others, my aunt will stay out the way, won't you Petunia?" He fixed the non-magical with his death stare. She withered and fled.

Harry watched the group carefully as they came in. Amelia Bones was the first, and probably the biggest surprise, followed by Remus Lupin who looked better than he ever had before. Shacklebolt he knew. Then two unknowns entered. He kept his eyes firmly on them. The first, with carefully kept blond hair and bluish brown eyes, was nervous and held himself like a pureblood. As reserved as his steps and stereotypically his clothes were there was still a smooth efficiency to his movements. The last was a thirty year old women who had seen better days. Her eyes where haunted and she twitched.

Tonks introduced them as Gawain Robards and Luciena Darrow, Head of the Inappropriate Usage of Magic Office and an experienced Auror. Harry took them all in, as they sat in the non-magical living room on non-magical chairs, while he stood by the window. Then he conjured his own wooden seat.

"If you are here to swear your loyalty to me for this war, you need to know a few things first." Harry started. "To begin with, I am not happy with this situation. I'm a school child, not even seventeen and I'm certainly not prepared to lead or look after a band of followers. Secondly, this a non-magical household, it's where I spent the first eleven years of my life. They were shit. The magical world was very nearly worse and that is saying something. So I will make myself very clear on this subject. The magical world is out of date, decrepit and dying. Hogwarts, which is still somehow regarded as the great pinnacle of education has failed completely. Four centuries ago I would be taking Alchemy at NEWT level. Today it is unthinkable." Harry stood suddenly and started to pace. Emerald eyes burning slightly as the others in the room felt a wave of something was over them.

"Joining me is stating that Magical Britain is going to fall apart. That the prejudice, ignorance and bigotry that your entire world rests needs to be destroyed. If you're not comfortable working with non-magicals, researching Dark Arts or throwing any concept of respect being based on blood or age out the window, you do not want to do this." Harry stared at them all. "I do not want anyone following me to hate it because their reality is falling apart around them. If you want to leave now, do. This goes for you as well Tonks."

"We know." Amelia said nervously, settling her mental shields. "It's why we're here and not at work or talking to Dumbledore." She paused, evaluating the young man in front of her. "How much do you know of Sovereignty or ley-line magic?"

"Nothing, but I can probably rectify that fairly easily. I have better sources than most." Harry answered reluctantly. "I take it this is important?"

Amelia nodded. "I'll explain later, when everyone else has left. Essentially, Britain's Sovereignty is falling apart, the countries wards and the magical base of the ministry itself is starting to crumble. I suspect it won't be long until people like yourself and soul magics are the only things with the power to enforce anything. I am also tired and sick of trying to change this world from the inside out. I will always stand beside my niece." She stood slowly, pulling her wand from it's holster at her belt. "May I?" Harry nodded reluctantly as the elder women knelt.

"_I, Amelia Susan Bones, do offer, of my own free will, my wand and loyalty to you as my lord, till death or my family requests my release._" Her ash wand was held handle up for a few tense moments before Harry took it.

"_I-_" Tonks shivered, "_Harry James Potter, do hereby..._" His eyes glowed and he gasped. "_accept your fealty and service._" He finished through clenched teeth. "_So. Mote. It. Be._" He finished, softly, sparks flying as Tonks slid off the couch and everyone was blinded by a pillar of gold energy.

"That... hurt." Harry announced to the room as he got slowly to his feet. "That never happened with Tonks... Hey Tonks, are you okay?" He asked quickly, striding over to her and shaking her shoulder gently.

Blury grey eyes looked up at him weakly. "Next time you try and bond someone more powerful than you, remind me to tell you it's impossible first. Or leave my power out of it, if you could."

Harry snorted, and handed her a pepper-up from his back pocket, she drank it quickly and almost spat it out in surprise. Then steam cleaned her ears out. "I fixed the taste issue." he said with a grin, turning back to the rest of their stunned little group. "You can get up now Madame Bones, I can't believe that the floor is that comfortable."

"Of course." She said quickly. "I was just not expecting that kind of response is all." She looked to Remus, "I believe you wanted to go next." The werewolf grinned and put himself forward.

The others gave their reasons and swore themselves in without further difficulty or collapses.

Harry offered to get drinks for them all, but Tonks did it instead as the small talk began. There was a dull throbbing pain at the back of his skull and it was slowly getting worse despite the adrenaline boost, energy, or whatever it was he felt himself gaining each time someone gave their loyalty. Shivering slightly he took the steaming mug Tonks offered and looked up at the assembled, sipping black coffee as though it where ambrosia. If he was going to do this, he told himself as he organised his thoughts, he was going to do this right.

Clearing his throat he stood. "Okay, since we're actually going to do this, let's start with the basics: I don't want anyone following me to die. Your first job is make sure you're the best you can be. Train each other, share dirty tricks, little shortcuts, the best spells, anecdotes, whatever might give you an advantage outside a duelling arena." He paused. "If in your normal jobs you happen upon marked Death Eaters or people wearing Death Eater robes or masks. Kill them unless they're obviously a non-combatant or you can't get away with it. If that's the case, incapacitate them with bone-breaker. If they have wands snap them, or take them as a secondary weapon." He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to think things through. "I'm assuming you carry potions on you..." He trailed off as Tonks' hair flared the same colour as her cheeks.

"Err, why would we be carrying potions?" She asked. Harry sighed.

"Right. Three potions you should always have at least one vial of on you." He pulled out three vials from his back pocket, just to make a point. "Calming draught, in case you're not a cold heartless killer or someone you need to extract is being ill or to stop someone from using emotion powered magic like a patronus or most Dark Arts." He pointed to the next vial. "Blood Replenishment Potion, if someone's dying and you want to keep them alive, they're probably going to need one so they can make it to a healer." The last one was a near copy of the one he'd given to Tonks earlier. "Pepper-Up potion, because fights can stretch on for a while, and you'll probably need one."

Harry then shocked them all by pulling a knife from an ankle holder. "Moving on, we have an emergency weapon, in case whoever took you down tries to gloat a little before finishing you off. This one's poisoned so I only need to draw blood with it to put them on the ground screaming. If you're going to do that, carry the antidote with you so you don't kill yourself or a friend. If you have any problems getting them, I can spot you some money from the Black accounts. Or I could just put another couple of cauldrons on the boil come to think of it. Shield gloves will have to wait until I have people to manufacture them. You're probably aware of hundreds of other artefacts that could come in useful in a fight. Any questions?"

"Are you sure you aren't Moody in disguise?" Harry stared at Lucrencia and raised an eyebrow. She had the grace to look sheepish.

"Good, other than preparing and eliminating Death Eaters I honestly don't have much for you to do at the moment, so you're stuck in your jobs unless you have any ideas that might be useful. In general, try to keep discriminatory legislation out of the Wizenmoot if you can, protect each others backs and the people Tonks will tell you later." He paused with a brief frown. "Be nice to the goblins and other magicals. Kingsley, as much as you might dislike what's happening, I would appreciate it if you remained as a spy within the Order but I could understand it if you refused. If you do go back with them, get out of there the moment you think they might suspect you. I wouldn't put it past the old man to use compulsion charms or memory modification. Also avoid eye contact with him." After a few more brief discussions in which Amelia parted with her information and agreed to be the proxy for the Black votes. They agreed to meet again on Harry's first visit to Hogsmead and parted ways.

Gawain summed it up for all of them before they apparated away. "Dumbledore makes you feel trusting and complacent, Voldemort scares you shitless but Harry..." The man smiled. "He makes you feel like anything is possible. Rather inspiring to be honest."

OoooOoooO

_Same day, The Burrow_

Ron snatched the letter out of his sister's hands and scowled, flicking through until he got to the good bit. Here it was, the bit that would pronounce his superiority to the world!

**Results:**

_Astronomy: P/P/P_

_Care of Magical Creatures: P/A/A _

_Charms: P/T/P_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: A/EE/A_

_Divination: A/EE/EE_

_Herbology: P/A/A_

_History of Magic: T/-/T_

_Transfiguration: A/A/A_

_Potions: T/T/T_

_Total OWLs: 5_

_You will be able to pursue the following subjects at NEWT level: Divination, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures._

"I... got five OWLs." Ron blinked. "That can't be right. I... I'm one of the Ministry Six! I have an exemption from Underage Magic and everything..." His mother snatched the offending piece of parchment from his fingers.

"Well." Molly Weasley said with a small sigh. "Ginevra will be able to get new school supplies after all."

"Really?" The small hyperactive girl asked. "IthoughtWeCouldn'tAffordItSo...How?"

Molly rounded on her youngest sound. "Ronald will not be needing his as he has barely scraped the minimum three NEWTs required to return next year. Also the twins have found another backer for their joke shop and spotted us some money." She glared at the younger boy. "We will be having discussions about your work ethic. Without access to that... _boy's_ funds we are on a shoestring budget, so I suggest you have good hard think about your actions young man."

OoooOoooO

_8th August, Longbottom Manor_

_**Interfering Umbridge Triggers Worst Results Ever**_

_by Rita Skeeter_

_Owls have been bringing students their results up and down the country today and many are in for an unwelcome surprise. Defence Against the Dark Arts, quite possibly the essential subject in the days to come has recorded the worst results ever seen. NEWTs were hit especially hard, with one fifth of students managing to pass and only a tenth achieving the top Outstanding grade, none of whom went to Hogwarts. _

_It is a statement of quality that Magical Britain and the rest of the Magical World uses Hogwart's texts and tests as the basis of their education. The education that was shattered when former Minister Fudge was misled to appointing suspected Death Eater and current missing person Delores Umbridge to the role of Defence teacher. It is believed that she sabotaged the students education so much that there were a grand total of ten students who scored well enough to progress to a NEWT in the subject._

_But how did they manage it? Six of them, yes, the Ministry Six, can claim the honour of being trained by Dumbledore himself before he was forced from his office by unfair accusations. In fact he had this to say to us:_

_'It was simply my duty to ensure that Lord Voldemorts primary target, the symbol of our hope, the Boy-Who-Lived was prepared for any confrontation. He, of course, couldn't rest without an equal level of protection and training for his friends and companions.'_

_As for the other four, whom our contacts assure us are Slytherins whose parents have high standing in our society, they had a private tutor in the form of Professor Severus Snape. We should all be grateful that such a good teacher has agreed to step aside as Potions Master to teach our children this most valuable skill.'_

Neville put the paper down with his eyebrows squished together and his eyes crossed. A frown was most evident on his face. Madam Longbottom looked on in concern as her grandson through the Prophet on the fire and muttered, quite loudly. "Snape? Teach? Why do I still subscribe to that rag?"

OoooOoooO

_11th August, Hogwarts_

Professor McGonagall brushed the remaining dust off the sixth year's NEWT choices with a frown as she compared them. She didn't know whether to be annoyed or honoured. Eight students had invoked an old rule of the castle, which stated that any resident willing to pay the examination fee could take any exam offered at Hogwarts. It was obviously intended for Professors doing further study and hadn't been used for centuries but it was still on the books.

They had then taken the minimum of three classes required to qualify as boarding students. _Ancient Runes, Arithmancy _and_ Transfiguration _to be precise_. _A few other professors had remarked about their favourite students requesting private tuition instead of attending NEWT lessons and she wasn't quite sure what to think of it. That didn't mean she wouldn't treasure Susan's request and push her to the extent of her amazing abilities but it did make her uneasy. Especially when the third leg of the 'Golden Three' had sent in his own choice correction letter. It had not been impressive.

She took in the applications once more, there were three Gryffindors, a Ravenclaw, two Slytherins and two Hufflepuffs. Quite an interesting group, all trying to self-study extra subjects on their own. Well, she hoped they where studying for extra subjects as the letter suggested. Merlin only knows what Hermione Granger could achieve with that much free time on her hands and the castle library at her disposal. Putting it out of her mind she went to do what her oath compelled her to. That is, informing Dumbledore of his favourite conversation subject's course selections.

The old man was alarmed, certainly. But figured that it could be remedied with a small talk in his office at the start of term, when he talked with the Bones girl. He needed Severus to give the boy yet another reason to feel inadequate and an adequate teacher in Defence who hated him was by far the best way to do it.

OoooOoooO

_17th August, a park in London_

"So." Erin started them all off as they looked sheepishly at each other. "This staying apart thing. It's not working is it? I'm still not sure whether meeting here was deliberate or accidental."

"I don't it was deliberate." Hermione said sheepishly as she looked over at the others enjoying the sunshine.

"Let me get this straight." Daphne sighed. "Blaise and Padma have been staying at mine. Susan's been staying with Hannah and the pair of you have been locked in a room with Rune books and a bunch of old knives for two weeks."

Erin and Hermione looked at each other and blushed. "It sounds kind of dirty like that, but we've made _really _good progress." Erin squeaked.

"I'll bet you two have." Padma giggled, causing Blaise's cheeks to turn red this time.

"I'm glad we're not the only ones." The Charms mistress replied quickly as the others turned to focus on her. "Me and Daphne were just... seeing how far it went... we didn't do anything exactly." Her eyes flickered around the circle. "Kill me now, please?" Hannah walked over to hug her. Blaise blushed further.

"What did she say?" Daphne demanded as her heart thudded a little faster.

"Erm... not to leave her out next time?" Everyone burst out laughing, and Erin dragged the two nearest girls onto the grass. Giggling, the others quickly started pushing each other over before Padma sitting shyly on the edge was the last one standing. Then Susan reached up and, well, pulled a blushing young women into her lap.

"Mmmmm," Daphne managed to get out after an hour or two of basking in the sunlight. "Not that this isn't nice or anything, but does anyone know why we feel the need to be draped all over each other?"

Hermione raised her head from the girls lap with a faint smile before resting it back down. "Me and Erin think that the marks might be representations of our magic, or a place where it surfaces. So, erm, I think we may have blended our magic and possibly some other stuff, it could just be the power in each other calling out to us. You don't mind if I fall asleep here do you?"

"Go ahead." Daphne replied, sneakily removing her shield gauntlet from under Hannah to run the silvery tattoos through Hermione's hair. Feelings of happiness and content rippled through the bonds as the girl started purring slightly in her lap. "It could just be emotional feedback. We are going to have to do this more often though."

"Do we have any idea what this bond will do?" Someone asked a few minutes later as they reluctantly got back up again.

"We've gone way past what the book said." Hermione replied sheepishly, "But joining magic to cast spells and getting on really well was what it's supposed to do." The others felt a small flush of embarrassment. "I've got a better idea of what Harry being our Lord will mean for us." She blushed as a general sense of curiosity spread down the bond.

"Well, we'll be affected more by his aura, whatever that does, but immune to everyone else's. Theoretically, depending on how strongly we're bound to him, we might also gain immunity to behaviour modification charms and anything else that could mess with our loyalty to him. The books referred to it as the Lord's Aegis. Then there's the Summoning." She blushed and the others felt her mix of embarrassment and arousal. "Where, if he wants us, or needs us, we're drawn to him like a very powerful compulsion, unless he cancels it. If it's powerful enough he might even be able to apparate us straight to him. His other Lord powers will affect us slightly differently, mostly not working at all unless he focuses them on us."

"Sounds like fun." Daphne said idly. "You're going to tell him about the ritual tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yeah, and bind myself to him." Hermione replied. "With the strongest oath I know, if that's okay with the rest of you?" Agreement pulsed along the bond they shared and they got back to catching up and enjoying each others company.

OoooOoooO

_18th August, 4 Privet Drive_

Harry layered the defensive wards around his room, forging them tight and sound as he checked the magic absorbing barriers one last time. Naturally, his outer alarm wards had to go off just before he started.

"I didn't expect you to be here." He heard Hermione ask someone else.

"Well, I am older than you." Daphne's voice replied gleefully as he got that sinking feeling. You know, the one where you're pinned between a rock and a hard place.

"By two days!" Hermione complained. Petunia was looking nervously out the window at the arguing girls, one wearing loose wizarding robes, the other wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Only Harry recognised the handbag as the expanded carryspace Hermione never left home without.

"Where was the headquarters of the Order?" Harry asked as his eyes caught on the silvery patterns that spiralled up their left hands. _'Getting into trouble is normally my job'. _He complained inside his head.

"Twelve Grimmauld Place, and yes, this is Daphne." The blond haired girl looked at her friend.

"What did she say?" Daphne asked. Harry relaxed slightly, it was both good and bad that the fidelius was still working on Sirius' old place. With that and the wards only he, Shacklebolt and Tonks currently held access to it now the wards were attuned to him.

"It's protected by a Fidelius." Harry explained, "It's better to ask for the secret than something that could be faked or taken from someone." Daphne frowned.

"Then maybe we should use the fidelius charm instead of glamours when we get back to school then." She mused softly. "But where are my manners, how are you this fine day Lord Black?" She asked with a rather large grin and a curtsy.

Harry sighed as his aunt's mouth fell open. "Well enough, come in the two of you, I'm sure the living room is free. Thanks Dudley." He said as the small whale of a boy rushed past him up the stairs. His relatives were actually behaving for once, wonders would never cease.

"Thanks for seeing us Harry, I wanted to tell you about the progress we'd made and give you a few things." Hermione said with a smile as she sat down. "I also wanted to discuss something I found out this summer that we need your help with, which is kind of why Daphne's here."

Harry just shrugged. "I probably have about two hours before I really need to start on what I was planning to do today. So I assume this has something to do with your arms?" They blushed.

"Sort of. To start with, I wanted to give you these," She pulled a set of pyramids out her bag. "I haven't been able to work out what they're doing so I figured a parselmouth might stand a better chance. And this." She gingerly pulled a sheathed knife out with her non-silver hand. "Is a prototype blade that you wanted us to make. Be careful with it though, it's got a dark cutting curse layered into the blade." Harry walked over and gingerly took it from her, unsheathed the blade, pointed it away from the three of them and felt its response.

"_Reparo_," he muttered, fixing the slice he'd taken out of the sofa. "Projected cutting edge, very nice." He examined the runes layered in soft enchanting silver along the edge. "Probably not a good idea to use it as an actual cutting implement though." He finished, sliding it back to the sheath and attaching that to his belt. "Sorry I haven't been able to make a better metal yet, I've had a couple of problems with the finer manipulation of magic. It should be fixed by the end of today though."

"That's good to hear." Daphne said quickly. "But before we talk about what we came here for I... we." She turned sheepishly to Hermione. "Wanted to do something first."

He saw them kneeling and groaned inwardly, _not again_. "You don't have to do this, I'd rather have friends than followers..." He trailed off.

Hermione smiled back up at him. "We know, but the bond helps us as well as you. You don't want us freezing up because Riddle's aura paralysed us in place like last time do you?" She asked sweetly. Harry sighed. Not because of the words but because it was obvious that neither of them would be happy until he let them do this. But after the bastard was dead he could and would release them.

"Fine." He said sulkily, trying to block out yet another round of oath giving. As it turns out, that was probably a bad idea.

"_We, _Hermione Jane Granger, and Daphne Milone Greengrass, _do offer, of our free will and the consent of our coven, ourselves to you as our Lord forever more." _Their eyes met with shared excitement.

Harry's mind was still caught at 'coven' when he muttered his response. "I, Harry James Potter, do accept your fealty and your service. So Mote It Be." Only then did he notice that he didn't have any wands to give back to them and they'd started rising without his say so.

Hermione's tender kiss caught him completely by surprise, as did the sensation of something forming between them that was only strengthened as he started returning it with interest. There was the tingling of a hand running under his shirt and then she released him.

Harry blinked as smirking Daphne took the bushy brown haired girls place and Hermione was treated to the gold and silver light show that marked the bonds formation. Elsewhere five other witches shuddered with pleasure.

"Good, isn't he?" Hermione asked as the blond finally came up for air. Daphne just smiled.

"Coven, when did you two-" Harry frowned, eyes icing over. Perfect memory, once of the minor side effects of mastering Occlumency. "More importantly, did you just bind yourselves to me forever? And giving 'yourselves'? What the hell where you thinking?" He asked in shock.

"That we need you, and you'll need us." Hermione said calmly as she reached out to touch him. "And I love you. I know you might not love me back, but I... don't care." She said softly, turning his head back to look at her. "We all love you. Well, all of us apart from Luna. And Neville, obviously."

"I'm not..." Harry tried to get out before Daphne put a finger over his lips.

"Don't say you're not worthy or won't make a good boyfriend or will get us killed or anything. We want you and you'd better get used to it." She put her foot down and moved to kiss him again.

"You're not jealous or anything?" Harry managed to stutter out once he'd recovered. Daphne smirked and reached for Hermione with her silvered hand, tracing out the outline of the other witches body. "It won't..." He stopped as Hermione suppressed a moan.

"It's why we formed a coven bond," Daphe started to explain, the bushy brunette starting to shiver under her touch. "To make sure we'd be okay with sharing you. So it's all of us. Or none of us." She grinned, pulled Hermione's unresisting body towards her and shared a toe curling kiss in front of their Lord.

Harry gaped, and fled from the room.

"Did you have to do that?" Hermione gasped as they broke up for breath, glaring feebly at the ever-so-slightly-older witch.

"It got him used to the idea didn't it?" Daphne teased, feeling just how much she liked it and how tight the other girl was holder her. "Besides you're the one with their hand up the back of my shirt." Hermione blushed and jerked away.

"That's just because it feels so good to touch you." She muttered. "It's like masturbation but far better." Both girls looked away sharply. "So, think he'll have calmed down yet?"

Harry was, at that very moment, sat on the loo and trying very hard to think of anything else. Normally he'd cite ingredient reactions, or focus on Snape's face or meditate or... Well, you try being a teenage boy and having two girls you've had a major crush on suddenly proclaiming their undying loyalty to you and then making out in front of you! It affected things. Down there.

And no, thinking of what he could demand with that loyalty was not helping matters... Five minutes later he managed to get things back under control and thanking Merlin for Occlumency he started to go went to his bedroom. There where two girls there. Lying across his slightly expanded bed. Fully clothed. _Damn._

"Sorry about earlier." Hermione said a little sheepishly. "Daphne got a little carried away..." She trailed off as Daphne's hand reached for her again.

Harry glared at the squirming bookworm and decided to get a bit of his own back. "You know, I could order you to strip and let me take you right now with that bond you offered."

Hermione shivered and started squirming, Daphne just looked up at him through her eyelashes and said a little petulantly, pulling her hand away quickly. "You could, and we'd both enjoy it but it would make the ritual we're planning less effective..." She trailed off, blushing. "We should probably stop the teasing and ordering around before we get carried away."

Harry absently conjured himself a chair and sat down as he stared at the two. "Explain."

"Well, it started at the beginning of summer, when I found a reference to bloodline magic, the abilities a half-blood or pureblood wizard may gain upon his majority and how to begin it." Hermione started quickly at his demand. "Most of them involve sacrificing magical creatures and aren't particularly pleasant. Let's just say that if some people claim to have interbred with harpies or other rare creatures, it's not necessarily the case. I found a ritual that was a lot more pleasant."

Harry laid back with a sigh. "This explains why you had the recipe for the mutagenic. Otherwise the enhancements wouldn't propagate to the next generation. It's still risky, but go on."

"Well, several other research strands I was looking into converged, and it became obvious that if this ritual was performed on a young women upon their majority it could have far, far greater effects than the simple introduction of a special ability. I've double checked the calculations, and if you where to perform it on us it would probably double or triple our resulting magical power if successful with minimal risk if it wasn't."

"I'm assuming this ritual involves me having sex with you at the time." Hermione nodded, not daring to speak. "Thus why you want to be a virgin so the sacrifice of that adds power to it and... I'm not making any mistakes here am I?" She shook her head. "So what's the catch?" He asked finally. "No magic ever gives you something for nothing."

"There's a risk it won't work, as you'll have to directly manipulate and stabilise our cores during the act or the cocktail of potions, ritual and our Majority will kill us. That means that you'll be inside our core at the time, so there could be an exchange of spirit, a bonding. We don't know. All I'm really sure about is that during a Majority all the oaths and contracts that we're part of we'd normally get a choice of whether we want to continue them. In our case, that choice will fall to you, and any bond forged between us at that moment will be permanent and irrevocable. And we'll probably be out of it for a few days from magical exhaustion."

"You've done the same trick Tonks did, haven't you?" Harry asked rhetorically. "Used a bond I didn't really want to justify a slightly stronger one for a large benefit." He chuckled at their expressions. "Not that I hold it against you, I love you both and if I don't go through with this I'd never accept that it wasn't my fault if you died. I just..." He shrugged. "I don't know." Daphne blushed at that and kept trying to look up at him through her lashes.

Hermione grinned and pulled out a scrawled notebook. Somewhat reluctantly he flicked through most of the pages. "Daphne's first then. 19th of October." He mused. "I can be ready by then, but I'll need to fix my own problems tonight." The two girls perked up at that.

"What's wrong?" They asked quickly.

"When I was experimenting to create moonsilver, I had some trouble manipulating the magic involved." Harry looked up at the two girls. "So I took a good long look at my magical core to try and work out the problem. I found that someone had blocked it a long time ago and at some point had been shattered, by the remnants are embedded all over the place and it's made my core look like a pretzel. I don't want to know what it might have done to my magic or abilities." The girls shared a look. Outrage, concern and exhilaration ran through them.

"What can we do to help?" Daphne asked.

"Nothing really, just try not to distract me." He said softly, settling himself down on the floor and making himself comfortable.

"Wait, um. You left these downstairs." Hermione held out the stone pyramids that started hissing all at once.

"Erm, thanks." Harry said. "Can I have a look at them later?" He asked nervously before an idea struck him. "Actually, keep them talking for a second."

Closing his eyes and raising his Occlumency barriers to full he calmed himself down and turned his gaze inwards. _There. _A couple of the structures inside his barriers, that he'd originally believed were flawed mistakes where thrumming with a small amount of power. Touching the thin threads filled his awareness with an overlay of hissing and meaning. Shock snapped him from his trance. "Of course, the parseltongue gift!" Harry clicked his fingers. "That's why Tom only opened the Chamber in his sixth year. He wouldn't have been able to prior to his Majority. Parseltongue must have been an inherited gift for him."

"Then how did you get it?" Daphne asked with a small frown. Harry paused, that small heavily fortified area just outside his mental landscape and barriers... He had thought that it was some heavily warded ability that the Old Bastard hadn't wanted him to have but now... The parseltongue ability almost looked as if it had seeped through a gap in it.

"I think... I think I've found the source of Riddle's connection to me, and it's behind the last block." Harry muttered nervously. "This is going to be painful. Do Not Disturb Me, especially if I start screaming." Hermione put the pyramids away and took hold of his right hand with her silvered one. He felt a fiery presence burning up his arm as the icy pleasure of Daphne countered it from his left. "Thanks." He muttered before taking the plunge.

The girls watched over him for hours, not making a sound as he occasionally twitched in his trance. Then, there was a sharp wrench on their magic, black blood boiled from his scar and he slumped over unconscious.

Cleaning him up and putting him to bed, they left Shacklebolt with strict instructions to make sure he was okay: They had to go and stop their parents from worrying.

OoooOoooO

There was a beach. Giggling and a beach. Possibly ice cream and children. He snuggled into the warmth as details slipped from his minds grasp like a dream. This was possibly the best day of his life, he'd had a dream and it wasn't seen through Riddle's eyes or a really unpleasant memory. That was a first. To top it off, he could still smell the lavender scent of Hermione's hair. Best. Dream. Ever.

Even if he couldn't remember it. He hoped his first wasn't his last. He shifted slightly, enjoying the warmth as hair brushed against his nose and the duvet he was clutching purred. Harry blinked, saw brown bushy curls, daylight peeking in through the windows and tried to remember what the hell had happened last night.

He remembered, he remembered slowly disintegrating the block after cutting the parseltongue gift free, only to have it smashed from the other side before he was ready. Then the other core thing had tried to burrow its way into his. So he blasted it. With a fuckload of power. Probably about twenty times the amount of necessary power because it disintegrated like a cardboard box hit by an artillery strike. Then the precious shoring and slow regrowth of his core had shattered like anyone's business and then... well... something. Harry blinked.

Checking his core was no simple act with a rather, okay, extremely attractive young witch, in your bed with your arm around her and a whole lot of flesh contact. He was fairly sure he was forgetting something about that. But he found his core first. Noted it. Looked around a bit more. Poked at the edges, identified every element he could and how they patched together. Checked his Occlumency shields which stronger than ever and flooded with power. There was also all those bonds that were loitering around the edges. One for each person who'd sworn loyalty to him along with... Hermione, Daphne and some kind of bond with what felt like Hogwarts.

It was thoroughly confusing. His battered, bruised, malformed mystical core of life was in perfect shape and was a lot bigger than it should have been. If a little on the empty side. He reckoned that it had almost doubled in diameter and large number of its internal structures now seemed to be functioning perfectly behind its shimmering shell.

Speaking of being empty, his stomach was nearly growling. Now to get out of bed, without waking Hermione and steal her wand so she couldn't hex him silly before he found out if he deserved it.

"Morning Master." She murmured and snuggled further into him. _Bugger._

"Wait, Master?" Harry asked aloud. The girl in his arm froze as though snapping back to reality. _Must have been a dream or something then_, Harry reassured himself.

"You're awake!" She yelled, spin round in his arms, stuck her tongue gracefully down his throat and blushed at his obvious response. "Not yet, remember, we had an agreement." She said with a cute giggle and a "Hey!" as he neatly pushed her out of his bed and claimed the duvet to hide his... embarrassment.

Harry was busy trying to remember what sort of agreement ended with a very hot witch wearing a very large t-shirt and panties in his bed. Then he remembered. Oaths, rituals. He was starting to warm up to the idea. "So, I guess you decided to stay the night then?" He asked nervously. "Did anything happen after I removed the block?"

Hermione smiled faintly and blushed as his gaze dropped a little lower. "That was three nights ago, we've been feeding you nutrient potions while you slept and Kingsley had to tell them that you'd caught the flu. Last night I just... felt a need to be with you and I thought you'd called me to you. You can do that, you know." She said nervously. "I hope you don't mind, sharing a bed and everything."

"Not at all." Harry replied. "Now, I'm just going to have a really cold shower while trying not to think of having two of the most attractive witches in the school appearing in my bed because I had an erotic dream." Her giggling haunted him for a while.

Then he'd jokingly set her to researching Sovereignty and ley line magic as a punishment for teasing him so much. A very nervous Harry only realised after she'd left that it'd made her blush a whole lot more.

Then he found three colours of hair on his bed and starting smiling again.

OoooOoooO

_27th August, Malfoy Manor_

Draco Malfoy, no... Lord Malfoy, head of the Ancient House of Malfoy, faithful servant of the Dark Lord and... He sighed, idly rubbing the mark that had been forged in his left forearm after he had defiled and killed that pathetic muggle. It made the loss of his father slightly easier to bear.

It was hard to believe that almost two months ago the Malfoy name meant everything, power and prestige in the circles of the Light and Dark. His father was there to manage the world while he grew up as a proper pureblood scion with only the Potter brat to blight his name. It had started so well... The first term of his first year was like a dream come true; Potter appeared to be a snake amongst the lions, and Draco was awaiting his time to strike. But then Halloween had happened and a week later he was loitering with mudbloods and putting up a façade of being friends with the Weasel.

He could almost make a patronus from it, the disgust he'd seen on two of the Golden Three's faces every time the red-haired idiot had done something especially stupid. In his mind, that was evidence that the Potter scion was playing a game of his own. Snape had laughed it off when he'd told him. If only he'd had a chance to propose an alliance in the library that day. They'd have ruled Hogwarts together instead of Draco being the mere Prince of Slytherin.

He knew he was brooding over Potter again. But it always came down to him, didn't it? Potter was the reason his father was dead, the reason Malfoy manor was now one of two places used by the Dark Lord to try and train his followers into something resembling an army. Potter was the reason his father was dead, why his master had been vanquished, why snotty arrogant mudbloods still drew breath, why there hadn't been raids, why the Bones family where still alive, why...

Why did it always come down to Potter?

The one person his master had forbidden him to act against. Harass, yes. Annoy, yes. Try and kill or harm? No. The Dark Lord claimed that privilege solely for himself.

Harry Potter would be the safest student in Hogwarts as long as Dumbledore still drew breath.

Yet his master had the audacity to call him obsessed with the brat. _Him!_ Draco... bloody... Malfoy. The man whose father had played the Ministry for fools for the last sixteen years.

They dismissed his accusations, his ideas. Everyone apart from his mother had ridiculed him as he was forced to kneel. Why had his father never revealed what the mark was to him? A corrupt perversion of a loyalty bond that felt like a parasite eating off of his soul. Might have been eating off of his soul for all he knew. He couldn't even harm Granger either. His _master_ had been clear about that: Alive, Unharmed and Unspoiled. The Dark Lord would punish her himself and had been using the Malfoy Library to concoct worse and worse punishments as his wound cracked open at the worst of times. The Dark Mark forced obedience.

He sunk over the balcony, looking forlornly at the gates he had been forbidden to leave. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as the doors opened beneath him. If one of the others caught him... "Narcissa?" She flinched.

"Draco." The women who birthed him looked back up nervously in his direction. She was dragging a trunk behind her.

"Why are you leaving, mother?" He asked from above her.

She sighed. "I'm leaving before Potter realises how badly Sirius screwed up and reinstates me into the Black family." She looked away. "If the Dark Lord forced me to take the mark, the conflicting oaths would kill me. He might do it anyway, without a name." She shook her head. "I have to leave now, wand or no wand. If you hadn't been marked I'd have tried to take you with me..." She looked down at the trunk. "Are you going to stop me?"

Malfoy snorted. "No." He chuckled hysterically. "It's not as though I could sink any further down the ladder. Good luck." Narcissa nodded and with one last smile at her son, she fled Britain for good.

Malfoy shivered and turned back inside for another hour of being 'trained' by one of the Dark Lords followers who actually had a NEWT in Dark Arts from Durmstrang. In his opinion the man was a sadistic bastard who was worse at teaching them than Snape was at teaching Potter. Unlike Potter though, they couldn't seem to ace the class in spite of the teacher.

But then, in his opinion, the people who killed the Dark Lord's inner circle would happily use a dark cutting curse on anyone who got in their way. But he wasn't going to point that out to the Potion Master and healer that only saw Dumbledore, the paragon of the light.

To be honest, he would have preferred being ordered to kill Dumbledore, the old fool would simply lock him up in Azkaban until his master came to free him. Trying to kidnap Hermione Granger from Hogwarts without harming her visibly while staying clear of Potter was starting to look extremely dangerous.

But he would do it, just to see the look on the brat's face if the Dark Lord carried out some of his more adventurous plans. He was Draco Malfoy.

Besides the idea of Granger with a succubus bound inside of her, being forced to obey his every whim for a taste of his cock was very appealing. She was only a mudblood after all, having a body like that was just _sin_.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Right, long chapter of long is over and done with. Next up, Hogwarts! My buffer is well and truly gone so the next chapter may be a while. As always, reviews make the writing go faster (I will endeavour to answer any questions via the reply button from now on, only just realised it was there) :p<em>

_Thank you all for reading._


	7. Let the Games Begin

_AN__: __Sorry __this__ took __so __long__, __most __of__ it __has __been __rewritten__ at __least __once__ or __twice__. __The __Dumbledore __scene __in __particular __was __a __pain__ as __I __tried __not __to __fall __into __stereotypical __evil __mastermind __mode__. Thanks to kiayea who added me to one of his community and caused a nice spike in reviews and alerts xD  
><em>

_Oh, and gDocs-LibreOffice-FF dislikes spaces in italics apparently.  
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><p><strong>7. Let The Games Begin<strong>  
><em>Friday 1<em>_st__ September, Waterloo Station _

Harry was jostled to one side and slammed into his trolley as he swerved into the path of another rush of people. The businessman ignored him and started sprinting towards platform four. He swallowed, biting down the rising bile and tried to isolate the feeling of something being twisted inside out, upside down and through a small pipe.

Opening his eyes he found it, like a small Nova in the mundane world: the portal to Platform 9¾ pulsing as another person disappeared through it. The distortions where like having his bones dissolved and re-formed. It was drowning out the rest of the magical energy he could sense moving around. They were all over the place. A small waif-like mote was darting behind him.

He turned, no one was stupid enough to attack him here, surely. A small little girl, about five years younger than him stood looking shocked at his sudden movement and stared. Harry couldn't stop though, her core, it was so... _small_. Then there was the small flickering innocence around her, centred on her back pocket. Where a wand would be.

"H-Hogwarts?" He asked nervously, trembling slightly as the barrier pulsed again. What the hell was happening to him? Since he'd started third year, he'd been able to feel the magic properties of something when he touched them but now it was as though he could feel everything! It had started as just small thing, letting him find the freshest ingredients to use and work out what the various preparation techniques actually did to ingredients. Maybe now though, he'd be able to work out why the stirring patterns did what they did if he didn't have to stick his hand in the potion for

"I saw the trunk." The young girl said quickly, "and I was wondering if you knew how to get onto the platform, and my father went to Glastonbury Academy so he doesn't know where..." She trailed off. "Do you need a healer or something, you look a little pale?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm fine." He lied without meeting her eyes, pointing to the brick wall between platforms four and five. "The portal's right over there, someone's just about to-" His stomach lurched. "That has to be ley-line powered." He muttered under his breath. "There is no way a wizard could create something that powerful alone."

The young girl stared at him wide eyed. "Wow, father never mentioned stuff like that at his school, no wonder Hogwarts is the best. Thank you for the help, Mister?"

"Black." Harry stated idly, flashing the enchanted House ring on his off hand. Her eyes went wide and she curtsied.

"Valour Kerilian. apologies for bothering you." She introduced herself softly, darting back into the crowd. Chuckling, Harry started pushing his own trolley towards the barrier, picking out magic users from the crowd by their feel. It must have been removing the blocks that had caused this to happen and he'd been brushing it off as paranoia and imagination at his aunt's house. Then again, there wasn't anything really at his aunt's house that wasn't so familiar that he could brush it off as imagination. But why had it started in third year? Or before third third year.

He ticked off the ages of maturity from Hermione's research on his fingers. One, _first signs of magic appear in the child_, Three, _common age for accidental magic to begin_, Five, Seven, _magic starts coming under conscious control_, Eleven, _core becomes stable and powerful enough to use simple spells, hence being the age all Hogwarts students must be before starting their first year. _Thirteen, _the unstable shift, a large power increase, the reason there's such a large disparity between the second and third year's spell effects. _How had Draco been able to summon a serpent at the duelling club that year? His birthday must have been early, which could be a problem this year.

Besides, he had to have gained the ability on the sixth change of his core during the holiday he spent at the Leaky Cauldron discovering the reality of politics and finances instead of brewing potions in his Aunt's back yard. Or maybe it had partially freed itself from the blocks then. Regardless, he hoped it didn't get any worse until he'd learned to cope with it.

The front of the trolley rolled through the barrier as sprinted through. There was no soul sickening wrench, no feeling of being punched in the gut or spinning madness. Just pleasant normality as the usual vertigo of magical transportation was dumped into the environment. If he hadn't felt the sudden appearance of a vast amount of magic, he'd still believe he was in London, in an extended space between two normal trains. But then his trunk probably would have exploded because of unstable interference in the expansion arithmancy interacting with the much larger expansion.

Harry moved himself away of the crowds of students and parents, focusing on the lovely cherry red paint of the express and the taste of iron and sulphur that ran through it instead of their cacophony. "I've always wondered, given all the forms of magical transportation that exist, why everyone takes a train?" Harry asked the three familiar signatures as he turned to meet them.

"Pride." Madam Bones answered as her niece dragged her towards him and Hannah lurked in the background. "The inventor of the train was actually a wizard, though parts of it were constructed by muggles, the very first one used a salamander to fuel the fire." She chuckled. "Dumbledore banned all other methods of travel to the castle in his first year as headmaster, giving the muggleborn a piece of familiarity and the purebloods something to smirk at."

"Nice to know he's good for something." Harry muttered under his breath though not quietly enough according to Amelia's raised eyebrow. "How are you two holding up?" He asked, gaze shifting between the fidgeting redhead and Hannah's uneasy smile.

"Pretty good. The nightmares are starting to fade." Susan said, trying not to meet his eyes as he closed the gap and hugged her close. "Hannah's been a lot of help." She didn't let go as Harry beckoned Hannah to join them.

"What about you?" He asked Hannah softly as she joined the group. "I might not catch all of your late night scribbles but I even I know some thing's up." He whispered as he pulled her close, drawing in the scent of them both.

"I'm getting better, slowly." She mumbled into his shoulder. "But they're hard to give up. I've found some other spells that help, would you believe that the Patronus charm is one of them?" She smiled back up at him and all three chuckled.

"I'm glad you're both doing okay." Harry muttered, holding them closer, two of the first friends he'd ever had and a pair of beautiful young girls in his eyes. His magic curled into his fingers, running across Hannah's power like an old lover, tracing out the new kinks and flares of her abilities. She moaned.

Harry snapped back to himself, what the hell was he doing? Hannah wasn't some potion ingredient for him to study like that! Someone cleared their throat. Harry, Susan and Hannah shot apart, blushing, before risking a small look as a giggle tried to escape from Amelia's lips.

"Don't worry, I approve. Of all of you." She said softly. "It's just that the others on the station might not." her voice tightened. "A word of warning to you Lord Black, some of the Wizengamot are pushing me to charge you for killing the Heads of several pureblood families, bastards or not. Currently the new Minister is backing you but that might change, he's still a politician." Harry nodded.

"What about the other matters we talked about?" He asked as subtly as he could.

"They're proceeding well, you should start seeing results soon. Assuming the rabbits emerge from their holes." Amelia smiled. "I never realised how much I needed to get out from behind a desk once in a while."

"Yeah." Harry said with a glint of malice in the corner of his eye. "It is a good form of stress relief, to sneak out, even better when no one recognises you."

"Agreed, we've been working on that, Moony and Flamingo are absolutely brilliant." She said with a wry smile. Harry snickered, pink hair and liked to show off. The name fit. "I have never learnt so many counter-curses in such a short time." She sighed. "But I'd better get back to work. Until we meet again."

The three of them made their slightly reluctant goodbyes and Harry started scanning the crowd. Hermione stood out like a sore thumb, twirling a strand of hair round her finger. He smiled.

"Oh no you don't." Susan said softly, dragging him away from his lioness. "Daphne and Hermione have had you all summer. It's our turn now."

Madam Bones laughed at the slightly scared expression on her soon to be son-in-law's face as she made her way to the floo connection. "Seven girls." She muttered to herself. "I don't know whether to pity him or them."

Ron Weasley glared as Harry, his bloody mate, Potter got dragged off by two girls. Not the hottest in the year, he had to say that, although Susan had a lot on top, but two Hufflepuffs? They'd stick together and with him unless he did something really stupid. Jealously erupted like a volcano in his heart as he watched one of the Indian twins drag another girl off after him. The bastard had taken all the fame, had all the money, did he have to take the girls too? It sickened him. Truly sickened him.

He attached the prefect badge to his robes with a grim smile. It was time for him to shine, get out from under that prat and his bloody know-it-all's shadows and stand as his own man. Maybe Ginny would help? Or a couple of the seventh years, some of them didn't like Harry. Oh, and some Hufflepuffs were still pissed he beat Cedric in the Tournament. But there would be time for that tomorrow. He had a whole weekend to find a new set of friends. Meanwhile, maybe he could get a first year to give up some sweets for a prefect? Or just confiscate them, there had to be some candies that were illegal, right?

OoooOoooO

_It's okay, they're not there. _Hermione told herself firmly for the fifth time that trip. Her eyes still struggled to stare through the wall. Intellectually she knew that she was in the second to last compartment of this carriage. Her senses however screamed that the door was slap back next to this one. It was infuriating! It was demeaning, it was... humbling how bloody good Blaise was at Charms when she really wanted something.

Like Harry.

In a six person compartment.

With five of her sisters.

Oh hell, the tingling had spread from her lips, to her nipples and was starting to spread lower. Luna tilted her head to the side, gazing at Hermione with a puzzled look. She turned to Daphne, neatly closed her book and stood up with a grin.

Neville's book on variants of Osiphilla Norgolis and other sea fauna was forced between his legs, narrowly missing his privates as Luna's legs pinned his arms in place. He opened his mouth to protest, letting Luna's tongue into his mouth as she pounced.

Hermione shivered at their display. Why had she decided to change into the basics of her uniform already? It had made a good excuse to sneak away to the toilets when the others had started, but now? She'd much rather be squirming in trousers than in a skirt. It wouldn't be so... Her mind caught as she noticed Daphne staring at her. Her heart be faster, things got a little more heated. She was embarrassed, she was mortified, she was so wishing Harry was smirking at her too. She was so bloody horny from it all but she didn't dare do anything about it.

Daphne stood slowly, her own breath hitching. She bit her lip slowly, the feelings she was getting were very, very distracting. She eyed the squirming lioness carefully as thoughts whizzed round her head. They had no idea what the ritual would do to their sexuality. But right now, it was her choice now and Daphne liked being in control. Besides she had to admit to being a little curious.

Hermione jumped as a smooth finger traced down her cheek, leaving a small line of fire in it's wake. The hand went lower over her breasts and her breathing hitched. It grabbed her tie instead, the Slytherin girl's wand placing a sticking charm on the knot. Hermione had half a moment's confusion before that stray hand pulled hard, forcing her to stand or let her legs slide between her friends as her skirt rode up.

Comprehension dawned; the sly blond having collared her with her own clothes. Hermione shivered in pleasure as their lips met and her mind lost track of time.

"Merlin." An unknown voice gasped, interrupting her. Daphne looked up through a shimmering curtain of blond hair from were she'd pinned the Gryffindor Lioness to the floor. A pair of idiots had barged into their cabin - she'd kill them... if she knew where her wand had fallen.

"Hermione-" Ron squawked, staring as though his mind had stopped working as 'the bookworm' shifted her hips against Daphne's before realising why they'd stopped.

"Greengrass." Draco looked like he wanted to vomit. Or go wank in a toilet for the rest of their trip back. "Granger. When I found a warded carriage this was the last thing I expected." He started plotting how much this was worth in terms of blackmail and smiled. "But don't worry, me and Weasley here will keep your secret. You wouldn't want to embarrass your friend would you?" He asked of his mortal enemy.

"Err, no. 'Course not." The redhead said quickly. "We just came to get you for the prefect meeting," he blustered. "McGonagall had said she'd given you the other prefect badge this year."

The pair of girls snapped apart, Hermione blushing and staring at the ground like a demure pureblood being introduced to her betrothed. That left Daphne to check the glamours on their arms and explain. "She refused, too much work. So if you could leave. Now." She risked a glance at the other pair, sitting there with big grins on their faces and talking in hushed whispers. They weren't going to be any use and her main wand was under their seat. She glared at the two males who were still staring at her.

"My apologies to you both. I'll talk to you later, Daphne." Malfoy said far too softly, looking down the corridor. "Just who I wanted to see. Crabbe, Goyle remove this blood-traitor from the girls' carriage would you? He's managed to do worse than steal prank candy from a first year this time."

Weasley was ejected, the door was shut. Daphne dived for her wand and waved it quickly. The door locked and the windows blacked out. "I hate surprises." She announced dejectedly, promising to herself that she wouldn't get so caught up in the feedback loop that she missed her alarms going off next time. _Wait, next time?_

Hermione's hand touched hers. Shame, anger and disgust made war through their link, leaving them drained but calmer. "Sorry," Hermione said softly, "I should have done something when they came in but I froze."

Daphne sighed and turned back to her. "It's okay, it's supposed to be the my job to look after you." She pulled her up off the floor. "So I'm sorry too. At least the others have finished," she said wryly, "so we can go and freshen up before someone else comes along."

Neville blinked as the others in the compartment left, turning to his little bundle of hyperactive joy. "Did I miss something?" He asked her softly.

"Only what I wanted you to." Luna replied softly, pulling the book out from between his legs. "And a bit more. But that was the Nigling's fault." Neville blinked. His girlfriend went back to reading _'A Daemonologist's Companion'_ upside down.

Life was good.

OoooOoooO

"I've missed you." The words where the first that had been said since entering the compartment. "All of you." Harry closed his eyes, resting his head against Blaise's as his arm pulled Padma closer on his other side. They both snuggled into him limply, still recovering from whatever had happened a few minutes ago. He wasn't going to complain about it being cut short, though there were a few sets of underwear that probably needed changing.

"Hermione thought you were going to be angry at us." Erin said weakly. Blaise flicked her wand at the Ravenclaw with a limp grin, turning her hair a brilliant Slytherin green. "What was that for?"

The lithe trickster shrugged, pulling Harry into her lap as a shield. "Just stopping before you decide to go any further." She said with a grin.

"You were just looking for an excuse to prank me, weren't you?" Erin said sharply, pointing her wand at the charms mistress after fixing her hair. "Daphne's more than capable of taking care of her... Eeeep!" Her tie had turned into a trout and started flapping. Harry cancelled it with a wave of his wand.

"Enough girls, this isn't pick on Erin day." He ordered them. Susan crawled over to the offended Ravenclaw and started to apologise.

"Why aren't you mad, Harry?" Padma asked softly, trailing a finger down his side. "Not that I mind, I'm just..." She swallowed.

Harry sighed, slowly pulling himself upright. "Come on girls, they put chairs in these compartments for a reason." Hannah snorted at that but they slowly shifted themselves off the floor anyway. Padma went to give someone else the seat next to Harry but he caught her wrist and pulled her down next to him.

"I spent a lot of time looking at the ritual Hermione wanted to do, and it's consequences." Harry said softly as he lent back in his chair, closing his eyes and tasting the surrounding magic, and the seven signatures that felt like they were _his _and his alone. "I will admit that my first thought was not just no, but hell no. Then I asked myself what would would happen if something ever happened to any of you." He looked directly at Padma, reaching out to cap one of her hands in his and smiled uneasily at Susan. "I'd blame myself, wondering if doing the rite could have stopped it." He chuckled weakly, "There are nine people in this world I really care about five of them are in this room. I don't like the side effects, but the main goal? I can't deny that. This bond is just... a precursor."

Padma blushed at the attention, staring nervously at her feet as Harry continued. "As such, you can all consider yourself to be under the protection of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. Though you might not want to announce that yet Blaise." The exotic Slytherin smiled and hit him on the shoulder.

"Of course not, when can me and Daphne get the hell out of there anyway? I want to be warned so I have at least some time to prank them all." Harry shook his head at that. Blaise's ideas of pranking where nearly always painful in some way.

"I have something I want to try, if it works I should be able to tell you when we meet up tomorrow." He said, "After that it's up to Daphne to work out the best time. It'll be best if you can work out how to change the House on our robes first though." She grinned, eyes lighting up at the thought. "You could always start analysing the charms on the robes now, if you wanted."

"I thought I was supposed to be the Charms mistress here, what makes you so sure there are some on them?" She challenged with a raised eyebrow.

"I can feel them." Harry said with a grin. "Just like I can tell that Hermione and Daphne left their compartment." The girls looked at him sceptically. "It's a fundamental part of alchemy I seem to have naturally." He shrugged. "It's not as if I'm ever normal."

"You have to teach us how to do that." Hannah all but demanded of him.

"I'll try." He said softly, sparing a quick glance out the window. "But I think we'd better get changed, so I'll leave you girls to it."

"You don't have to!" They complained as a group as he fled to the nearest bathroom. There was no way he was ready for that just yet.

The girls were still glaring at him as they got off at Hogsmeade station, the usual chaos of milling students and madness was all around. Harry stopped dead, letting the invisible jinx slam into the ground in front of him. Blaise's scowl got even worse as he looked around for Hermione and dodged another spell without turning. Now he'd gotten it under control, it was so... brilliant. All the people, the rush of signatures and powers... as he twisted out the way of a third spell with his eyes closed he heard a familiar squeak.

"_Leviuos._" The first year froze in midair, face two inches from the ground as Harry whirled. He flicked his wand. "_Evanesco per._" Blaise blushed, threw an arm across her chest and tried to glare at him before meekly allowing Daphne to lead her off. Smirking Harry turned to let his first year friend down. For someone who had been happy enough to show him them on the train, Blaise had been awful nervous about having her bra vanished.

"Sorry about that." Harry said to the young girl he'd helped to find the platform. "You got caught in a bit of a prank war."

"You're a Gryffindor!" She exclaimed with wide eyes. "But... But... You're Lord Black!" Harry chuckled.

"Merlin, I don't think I was ever that innocent or cute." He knelt down beside Valour. "I'll let you in on a little secret. Most Slytherins are actually Hufflepuffs, far too much loyalty to their family and Riddle to be anything else. A fair few Hufflepuffs are Slytherin because it's a good place to hide and the most Hufflepuff person I know is a Gryffindor." He shrugged. "Frankly, House traits aren't really that important. Otherwise I'd be wearing green. Have fun on the boats and tell the hat I said hi." He said with a smile as Hagrid came to collect the first years.

"Thank you!" The young girl yelled after him as he walked off to the carriages.

OoooOoooO

Daphne politely applauded the end of the hideous cacophony the Headmaster insisted upon by making everyone sing their own version of the bloody song. The food was here at last, so she could finally stop her usual sport of Malfoy watching, even he was not fool enough to blurt out anything of importance when everyone else was eating. Either that or he was hungry...

Speaking of hungry, the Weasley brat was not stuffing his face but heading up towards the staff table. Alarmingly out of character, even more so when she saw the headmaster pause in his eating to stare at her, Hermione and Malfoy - in that order. Only the arrogant Malfoy scion met that particular glare. She sighed; subtlety, it seemed, was still sorely lacking in Gryffindor with one notable exception. Then again Harry hadn't managed to stop gaping at the world in awe yet, so even he might have been ruled out of the running. Snorting, she turned back to her friends seeing empty plates.

"You need to eat something, Blaise." She said, heaping some of the food on offer onto her friends plate. The girl hadn't stopped scribbling since the sorting started, three feet of charm theory, it seemed, wasn't enough to cover the diagnostics she'd cast on her robes after watching Flitwick with wide eyes. "You too Tracey." She said absently. Draco shot her a disgusted look.

"Looking after half-bloods as well, Greengrass?" He asked with a frown. "I thought you'd pay more attention to the purity of your _friends._ Unless you're looking for a pet. I've heard mudbloods make good ones."

Daphne chuckled. "Parroting dead men again. Or did you think I didn't know about that? Tell me, Draco, have you ever had an original thought in your life?" She asked sweetly. He choked on his pumpkin juice.

"What are you trying to imply here? Purebloods are better than half-bloods who are better than mudbloods, it's a fact. Soon they will all be put in their proper place. If I was you, I would realise just what a predicament you're in and get you and your pet on the right side with me." He tried to half-explain, half-threaten. His father had always said you should be subtle when others were listening.

"That sounds awfully like a threat from someone who lost their father and most of his inheritance." Daphne replied, striking a nerve by his scowl. "You may want to stop before you lose more."

"And you might want to stop talking before that mouth of yours makes you disappear, despite your pure blood." His voice lowered to a whisper as he lent across the table. "I lost nothing, once the Dark Lord kills Potter, I'm his only blood relation. I'm sure you can work that out." He stood up with an arrogant smirk, addressing the young women of his year and the one above. "Remember where your loyalty lies, ladies, or you'll find things becoming difficult." With that, he stood up and went to 'socialise' with the first years.

"Is it me or is he more confident this year?" Tracey asked nervously. "It's not what I expected."

"I agree, if anything the loss of his father has made him realise that he can't turn to others to solve all of his problems. Unfortunately his timing could not have been worse." Daphne stated icily, glaring back down the table as he tried to get frisky with that first year Harry had rescued by the train.

Tracey shivered. "It's times like these I hate being a Slytherin. Crabbe and Goyle were leering at me the entire journey here. They practically press ganged me and Milly into their carriage. At least Malfoy's restrained by Pansy, but if he doesn't control his goons or leash some of the seventh years..." She fidgeted, trailing off as her eyes darted around.

"We'll be fine, they can't come up to our dormitories unless they're invited by one of the residents..." Daphne stopped, remembering that Tracey shared her two-girl room in the dungeons with Pansy. "Well, fuck."

"There's also the common room, the corridors, the dungeons and that room that Draco was bragging about." Tracey hugged herself as the food disappeared and the Headmaster went to make his speech. "As long as Dumbledore and Snape are here, they'll get away with anything they want in the name of forgiveness or blood purity. Bigoted bastards."

"If you think something's going to happen or need someone to talk to, come to us. We can help." Blaise told their housemate firmly as they stood to leave. "Now, I'm going to and talk to Professor Flitwick before... what the hell is Harry doing?" Said Gryffindor had walked back to the teachers table and was talking rapidly with the charms professor and the Head of Hufflepuff House.

"Probably trying to get out of meeting with the headmaster, you'll have to talk with Flitwick tomorrow." Daphne guessed, not reacting to the strange looks Tracey was giving them as they stood to leave for the first House meeting of the year.

"Harry, not Potter?" Tracey hissed as they moved with the crowd. Daphne slipped through the chaos, pretending to have missed the question.

OoooOoooO

Padma had a rough welcoming feast. It was tradition that the students were split between House tables and the House tables were split between the years. Unfortunately it was also tradition for Ravenclaw's to know everything.

She'd sat alone, shunned and distrusted. Padma No-name, Sue had sneered suspiciously at her, lewdly suggesting ways she could have paid the tuition and even her previously close friends were glaring at her with contempt. What was it with them that they couldn't accept to leave her private life private? So what if she never talked to them outside of lessons and the common room. Her life didn't revolve around the others did it?

Damn it all. If they trashed her things like they'd done to Luna before she'd stepped in and stopped them at Erin's request, well, she'd set Daphne on them. Or Blaise, who knew some scary prank jinxes.

She'd have to keep it a secret from Harry though, which meant no telling Hermione, Neville, Luna or Erin, and she couldn't tell Hannah for the same reason as Harry. Well, not really. Harry would scare them shitless and Hannah was just as likely to make them headless, or impotent. Or something.

"Padma!" Parvati's arms grabbed her from behind as she loitered behind the others. "You're here, I thought... Father wouldn't tell me anything, he just..."

"Slow down." Padma said with a smile. "Breathe, I can't understand you otherwise."

"I've been so lonely, I thought I'd never see you again, that they'd snap your wand and kick you out on the streets." The twins hugged each other before Padma broke off slightly.

"I'd be more worried about yourself, I'm under the protection of House Black. I know Harry won't marry me off to some random stranger without asking me." She said wistfully, there was only one person she wanted that way. "If you ever need to get out, or are forced into something you don't want to do, let me know, I'll see what I can do." They looked at the rapidly emptying hall. "We should get going."

Paravati agreed reluctantly, darting off back to Gryffindor tower, her twin's words echoing happily through her mind. Wait, Harry Potter was Lord Black? She needed to tell Lavender. This changed everything!

OoooOoooO

The first day of the year was always a wondrous time for Dumbledore, it really brought a smile to his heart to see the new first years file in with awe-struck faces. Why, it reminded him of his first time entering the castle, those where the good days; spending the summers with Gellert discussing philosophy and the finer points of magic without the aches he always felt in the morning. Not that he was old, far from it. Why, Armando had lived well into his fourth century before retiring. He was like a spring foal in comparison to that brilliant wizard.

Still, he missed those grand days of being a carefree transfiguration professor and struggling to learn those small nuggets of magical wonder that Nicholas had challenged him with, picking his brain to see if he was worthy of his legacy.

He pulled the Rememberall out from the bottom draw of his desk, just to be sure. It wasn't the Remembering he'd had before the Potter scion had his little 'incident' that actually told you what you'd forgotten but it was still... glowing red. That meant he was forgetting something, he traced through the day in his mind. Oh, of course. How had he managed to forget that? He wrote a quick note to Severus and pulled one of his many bloodline books from the shelves, searching for the notes he'd made on the Greengrass line. Yes, there was the optimal match. He called for a house-elf, carefully instructing it on which hairs to collect from certain beds and to take the note to Severus. He then left a note for himself, so he didn't forget again. Four little potions would solve most of his problems for good.

Now he just had to wait for the child of prophecy and the Bones lass to arrive.

Half an hour later he was still waiting. He could have sworn he told Minerva to tell him to come here immediately, it was getting late.

Twenty minutes of anxious shuffling and nervous fiddling later, the charm on the gargoyle pinged. He sat up straighter and hid the muggle confundus cube someone had got him as a birthday present. "Harry, my boy, I hope your summer wasn't too bad. I'm sorry I couldn't come and get you from your relatives, but after the will reading I was far too busy..." The Headmaster trailed off as two other people followed the students into the room. "Filius, Pomona... I'm sure they would appreciate some privacy for what we're about to discuss."

Professor Sprout, Mistress of Herbology and Charms drew herself up to her full height. Brushing one tawny, greying strand behind her ear with a trembling hand. "Albus Dumbledore!" She yelled. "If you think for one minute that I am going to leave you alone with a member of my house after what you did to Harry you have completely lost your mind."

The headmasters stomach sank a little. "And you, Filius?" He asked dejectedly.

"Harry wanted a wand he could trust at his back." The half-goblin smiled. "I tried to assure him that Minerva would be a better choice, but he was having none of it." Both teacher and student shared a look at that. "Also, I find your attitude disgusting, thief."

Dumbledore sank lower in his chair. How had it come to this? His glorious plans all brought to nought by interfering goblins. They would set the wizarding world back by a century - just to spite the better race. "Will you not let me explain my actions?" He asked, throwing power into his aura. "My reasons, though obscure, had only the best interests of our world at hand." Harry's eyes twinkled. "I assure you all that what I am doing is for the greater good. Fawkes would have deserted me if I had strayed so far from the path as you seem to believe." He tried. Pomona's thoughtful expression and Filius's confused look were shattered as Harry's eyes shimmered with rage, the lights in his eyes becoming small emerald flames.

"Bullshit." The Boy-Who-Lived stated. Dumbeldore froze at the coarse language. Such unruly manners. "That's..." He blinked. The lights where gone from his eyes. They came back. He bit his bottom lip. "You're lying, if phoenixes are creatures of the light, then explain Riddle's wand." Hell, Harry thought, explain my wand because it adores powerful dark curses. "I'm willing to bet that they're more interested in power than morality. Or is it just coincidence that the two most powerful wizards to be born since he arrived in this country have wand cores from the same phoenix?"

Fawkes squawked. Silence reigned.

"Now, Harry. I have spent a lot of time studying these magnificent creatures and I can assure you that..." He trailed off; Harry's eyes were twinkling again. "Impossible." He muttered under his breath. "I must be mistaken."

"Mistaken about what?" Harry's eyes narrowed, glaring at the far wall of the office..

"Just an errant thought." Dumbledore backtracked, disliking where the conversation was headed, the lad wasn't even seventeen yet. "Now, are you sure I can't convince you that the Professors presence is not required? I wanted to discuss some vital information about the war with Lord Voldemort." He stated calmly, watching both Pomona and Filius twitch slightly. Dumbledore swallowed nervously as Susan rolled her eyes and Harry snorted. He'd groomed the lad not to fear that name but why wasn't young Bones afraid?

"I have to compliment you on your choice for Defence Teachers," Harry said slowly, disrupting Dumbledore's thoughts. "They taught me several very important things. Take Lockhart for example, he taught me that, if left alone in a room with a competent fraud you will probably leave that room believing whatever he wants you to believe." Dumbledore gulped as Harry pulled out a pile of papers from from a robe pocket. "I have a list of your crimes right here. I believe one of them is fraud. Does that answer your question?"

The headmaster nodded dejectedly. "Yes, I believe it does." Harry slid one of the pieces of paper across the table. It was a list.

"The inventory of my property you seem to have misplaced about the castle. Note the inclusion of the family ring, both of my parents wands, several of their personal effects and some of the more useful artefacts." He lent over the desk. "All I can say is that I'm glad the goblins recovered the family grimoire before you could crack the protection charms or we would be talking at wand point. You could have destroyed the most important artefact my family possesses."

Dumbledore sat calmly in his desk. "I'm sorry, I truly am. I took them all a long time ago, trying to decipher the protections your mother had used to protect you from the killing curse to see if it could be duplicated. It really was vital that an experienced spellcrafter gets the knowledge in those tomes."

"And did it help?" Dumbledore looked away. "I didn't think so. You have twenty-four hours to return my property. All of my property, without charms, trackers, modifications, alterations or erasures of things you believe I don't need to know." Harry said heatedly. "If you don't return them in such a state, as per the borrowed items laws, you will be liable for theft, gross negligence, wilful destruction of property and several others. This time I don't think you'll be able to bribe Scrimgeour with your followers money."

"I will get it to you as soon as I can." The Headmaster said calmly, knowing there was nothing of use in the books he'd studied long ago. No references to the prophecy, a couple of notes about performing a ritual on Harry's first birthday, but no other information other than diaries, schoolbooks and a couple of essays. "I really must have a look at the Potter grimoire though, I believe the spell used by your mother is one of the spells locked inside. Both of us together should be able to open it." He saw the contempt on his weapon's face. "Think of the lives that can be saved if we can adapt it so it doesn't require a sacrifice." He pleaded.

"If you'd have told me about my inheritance; hell, if you'd actually executed the will as you were supposed to I'd have shown it to you when I gained my Lordship at the age of thirteen. As it stands, I'm a Lord of the wrong House." He stated coldly, showing off the Black family ring. "We're done here."

"Wait. I know I deserve the ire directed at me and so much more besides, but coming into your inheritance is no reason to throw your life and dreams away." The headmaster said calmly. "This is why I kept things from you, so you'd have the experience of a normal child and not let it get to your head. You can't be an Auror without taking Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms at NEWT level, just ask Filius."

"Why would I want to be an Auror if it involves being taught by Snape?" Harry said with a raised eyebrow. "In addition, rune workers and spellcrafters can earn far more than an auror and I'm less likely to end up dead or a scarred paranoid wreck. Moody isn't the best of recruiters."

Albus frowned. "I see. If you are not willing to speak with me alone, will you consent to speak with me under a silencing ward." He interrupted Professor Flitwick before he could say anything. "Filius, of course, would place it and could keep his wand trained on me if it makes you feel better." He lent forward, smiling as benignly as he could manage. "Did you not wonder what Lord Voldemort was searching for in the Department of Mysteries?"

"No, but I can guess; a prophecy or something equally idiotic loosely stating how he could meet his death at my hand. It had to be my hand because he wanted me to retrieve it so I must have been mentioned in it or his minions would have done it. But that doesn't matter, I blasted it before I even took it off the shelf. Now, is there anything important you want to talk about or can me and Susan go back to our dorms?"

"You really do not want to know the prophecies contents?" Harry again expressed a negative and Dumbeldore took his glasses of and rubbed his temple with one hand while the other plucked a lemon drop from the bowl. He'd never had a conversation go this awry since he'd gained his Lordship. Both Filius and Pomona looked ready to believe anything and draw their wands on him! What had happened to the respect he was due as Leader of the Light.

"I was hoping," The Headmaster continued, truthfully; for it wasn't worth risking a lie. "That you would be willing, as someone else who has fought against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to work with me in resolving Susan's situation." He smiled fondly at the young girl who had spent most of the time hiding behind Harry with her arms tucked behind her back. "My apologies, child, but I struggle to believe that your Aunt managed to repel an attack by Voldemort when so many others have failed to do the same. But, should the Dark Lord have secured Madam Bone's niece and Heir under some kind of geass or spell, she would have very little choice but to run interference against those who oppose him." He reached out to her. "Can I see your left arm, my child?"

Susan panicked, shifting so Harry was between them. If he saw the marks she and her sisters would be screwed! Of course he'd check for glamours, and he'd know what it was. This was Dumbledore for Merlin's sake! She felt Harry tense, the shiver of power flowing through her.

"Did you ever consider, Dumbledore," Harry spat, "that House Bones, as a friend of House Potter and Black, has stood by me both in combat and peace since the events of the ministry. If they have attempted to pursue and hamper your criminal acts against me in any way it is because they see it as their duty to as part of that friend." He slammed his hands down on the desk. "Personally I commend their loyalty." He stated. "Any attack against my allies, in whatever form, is an attack upon myself. Do I need to declare a Blood Feud to stop you from trying to interfere with my life?"

The Leader of the Light said nothing. They couldn't afford to be divided in the public eye as this young boy was ignorantly threatening.

"The next time you start throwing accusations around, remember that the Dark Mark cannot be made without consent and you're not the only one who can stand against the Riddle's forces." The newest Lord turned, lightly hugged Susan and gave her the briefest kiss on the forehead. She smiled back up at him as he led them towards the door. It didn't open.

"I must insist." Dumbledore stated. "We cannot have another incident like Miss Weasley's first year in this troubled time. It's for the Greater Good." Both of the students fingers twitched as he stood, a flick of magic spitting their wands into their hands from their holsters. The Headmaster suddenly found himself being stared down at wandpoint. Even his trusted staff members pointed their own towards him.

"Like I said." Harry stated calmly, one arm wrapped protectively around his girl. "We are done here." The door clicked open after a moment.

They left.

Albus Dumbledore laid back in his chair with a sigh. That had not gone as he intended. Not at all. He was sure that Susan didn't have his dark mark but the detectors had found _something _dark in the room. Whatever it was, Harry seemed to be protective of the girl, so probably knew of it. Where had his plans gone so wrong? He'd created an outer circle of his Order just so Harry would have people who looked out for him and cared for him. In return, he'd trust the entirety of his followers implicitly. So he couldn't blame Tonks for playing her assigned role. It was her competence he'd underrated.

Now he just had to work out how the child had ended up acquiring a poor version of the Dumbledore gift. He'd need to go to the muggles for that, certainly. Checking the Potter bloodline for gifts had been the first thing he did after Riddle's defeat and he hadn't found a single marriage to a pureblood other than Dorea Black to Charlus Potter, and the Black gift had already died by then, leaving a growing insanity. Maybe it was possible for a squib line of Dumbledore to have become the Evanses, preserving a small part of the lineage if they married similarly pure squibs by some twist of fate. Squibs core's were too weak to perform active magic but they still had them.

Unfortunately, it was too late now. Not when the child wasn't of age and his fate had already been announced. A dead line for the darkest line. It was a fair trade in his mind and guaranteed by prophecy. He'd take it all and secure it, now his main problem had taken herself out of the running. Now, there was something he needed to do before he returned the Potter's journals and things to the lad, but he would be damned if he could remember what it was.

OoooOoooO

The colour had been sucked dry from the yellow and black dorm. Hannah stood in her bed wearing just a nightgown and she couldn't feel the cold. It was one of the withdrawal symptoms from Dark Arts, the dimming of senses, sharpening of the mind and instability of her emotions. It had taken most of her Sisters to be near for her to start feeling like she remembered. It was what she needed, to hold them close, even though the _need_ to destroy was washed beneath multiple casting of soul magics. Rune-etched bone tumbled through her fingers as her wand burnt into the bedpost. The Fat Friar walked through the wall on the opposite side of her bed.

"I really do hope you know what you're doing, lass. Messing with this sort of thing is positively dangerous." The ghost eyed her work with an approving smile before flinching slightly. "It feels like fingernails being scrapped across my skin. I can't express how surreal this is."

She said nothing, placing her wand on the final rune and muttering an incantation. A silencing ward was added quickly and she dropped to the floor, the chilled stone feeling almost pleasant beneath her feet.

The Friar extended a palm, resting it against an invisible wall that glowed faintly at his touch. "A nigh perfect soul ward." He spoke with awe. "I can think of several places where a modified version of this would be useful in the castle. Peeves does overstep his boundaries, after all." He turned to look at her, appearing slightly more solid. "But it covers another's bed as well as your own..."

"Susan's keyed to it." Hannah said softly. "I would _never_ keep her out."

The ghost sighed. "Then I will be doing nothing, child, do not worry. It would be little hypocritical of me, to condemn the path that I took over three hundred years ago." He stared forlornly at her. "But I will warn you - I spent the last ten years of my extended life repenting for my sins and died a peaceful death in the night. I still rose like this. So be warned, child, magic changes the caster and we ghosts can feel it when you reach beyond the grave. Even wizards will be able to feel it, for just as they can detect warlocks and witches, our kind can be detected as well." He nodded sadly. "But I must be gone. Sleep well." The ghost sunk slowly into the floor.

"Hannah, you waited for me." Susan said quietly as she reached the top of the stairs, rushing up to hug her friend who was standing still. "Merlin you're so cold, what have you need been doing?"

"Just..." Hannah swallowed, she wanted to say nothing but she couldn't even think of lying to her Sister, the idea hurt her. "Talking to the Friar. I set up the wards, just like home." Hannah said nervously. "Blocked and silenced so no one else will know if you have nightmares."

Susan blushed and started to get changed. "Thank you. And I'm sorry it took so long to get back here, the headmaster was being awkward."

"What are friends for? One of us had to do it, it might as well be me." Hannah asked softly as they crawled into the same bed. Susan taking comfort in being with someone she trusted after the attack on Bones manor, Hannah taking comfort in the warmth of feeling.

"I remember you saying the same thing when we picked research subjects in fourth year." Susan muttered as they tried to get comfortable. "Look how that turned out."

_Badly. _Hannah thought. It was a long time before she got to sleep that night.

OoooOoooO

_Thanks __for __reading__!_

_And__ the __reviewing__. __All__ those __lovely __reviews__... *__drools__*_


	8. Contruct Thy Foundations

_AN__: __I__'__m __trying __to__ make__ the__ chapters __a__ more__ reasonable__ size __and __more __frequent__. __It __doesn__'__t __appear __to __be __working__ that __well__._

**8. Construct Thy Foundations...**  
><em>Saturday 2<em>_nd__ September, Early Morning_

A small violet glow, suspended on translucent wings fluttered through the girls dorms. It ducked and wove along air currents. A gust blew in from the open window. The small charm fluttered through the gap in the bed curtains and sunk towards a bushy haired girl who'd managed to wrap herself into her duvet and was sleeping quite peacefully thank you very much.

The glowing ball of light popped on her nose.

"Meet me in the common room." Harry's voice whispered across her skin. Hermione's eyes flicked open and she spat out some of her hair. Then she tried to move. And couldn't. It was so comfortable like this, why did she have to give it up? But he needed her.

Twenty minutes she emerged from the girls' staircase with bleary eyes and damp hair. "Hello..." She had just enough time to mumble before Harry put an arm round her wait and ran another through her hair. She gasped as he pulled her hair back. Then his mouth met hers.

"I thought you woke up by seven on school days." He whispered as she snuggled into his neck enjoying it when her shirt rode up and a hand touched flesh.

"Mmm, not school yet. You smell nice." She mumbled into his neck.

"You always smell lovely." Harry said softly. "Like lavender in spring. Now, go and get your notes on ley-line and lordship magic and I'll find us something to eat and drink. We need to head up to the seventh floor corridor and get started."

"Yes, Master." Hermione muttered, looking a little lost as he let her go.

Harry watched her leave. There was that word again, _Master_, once he could discount as his imagination, but twice? The girls didn't see him like that, did they? Swallowing, he put it out of his mind, he could always talk to someone about it later, after they met up again.

Hermione blushed as she put the last book in her carry-bag and remembered what she'd said. If she'd scared him off... Oh hell, how was she going to cope if he wasn't what she needed. Harry was a Nice Guy and would probably stop the moment she put up a fight, or did something a little wrong. But she had a plan for that. It just needed someone she trusted to look it over... Daphne was good with contracts, wasn't she?

OoooOoooO

Twenty minutes later the two sixth years were standing next to a portrait of trolls being taught to dance. "One of the good things about summer was how much time I had to think." Harry started as Hermione carried on eating the muffin he'd smuggled in to the school. "There are so many things we can use the Room of Requirements for, but I kept coming back to one question." He stared at the absent space where the door would form. "How does it work?"

"Well, you walk back and forth three times and whatever you asked for appears." Hermione said as she reached for the levitating cup of coffee. "It's quite simple."

"No, that's how to work it. Not how it works." Harry pointed out. "How does it create a space that's larger than it should be but doesn't interact badly with other expanded spaces? How does it create those items that we use for training, the dummies, how does it replicate books from the library even when those books have just been added? More importantly, why does it always default to the castle's architecture and contents?"

Hermione blinked. "Well, it obeys the principle laws and can't produce food, life or enchanted items... so it must be a form of magic similar to what we use. The three times and wish must be a security feature, or maybe it's just..." She looked up at him. "Look you obviously have a theory, why don't you tell me?"

"Madame Bones suggested a theory to me, that all those tales of Sidhe and fey have a grain of truth in them, but they died with the magic of the land." Harry smirked. "Therefore they lived off ambient magic, which I think the room might work off of. I believe the room is some sort of artificial construction based on fey magic, explaining how the expansion charms on things we carry inside don't interfere with each other or explode, because I'm fairly sure they don't use the same mechanics as our charms. Wishing or need might even be a driving part of the magic required for it's operation."

Hermione gasped as the pieces slotted together in her head. "Then, if it's based on ley-lines then you can bind the room to you and you alone by lordship, and you're even going to ask it for the tools to do it! You're a genius Harry!"

"Yeah. That's why it took me a week to work that out, when you did in ten seconds." Harry sighed. "As with everything else in my life it's probably not going to be that easy and won't have a chance in hell of success if you're not here." Hermione blushed at the complement.

"Well go on then." She pushed him and went back to her coffee.

"If I must." He muttered before beginning to pace back and forth. _I need a place to bind the room to me. _Once, twice, thrice.

A respectably faded door sprung into existence before them. The wood grain was faded and ravens were engraved along insets clotted with dust. A bronze nameplate caught their attention while an ancient piece of parchment fell to the floor.

_'__**Professor M. E. Ravenclaw**_

_Mistress of Runic Theory & Arithmancy'_

"Do not enter on pain of death." Hermione read aloud from the parchment that she'd picked up.

"Well that's reassuring." Harry muttered as he tried the handle and got a sharp cut from it's rusty surface for his troubles.

"You know I hate it when you do that sort of thing." Hermione sighed as her heart jumped. "You don't know what sort of wards are in place yet you still blindly attempt to open something that has a warning about death on it!" Harry half glared at her.

"It worked with the basilisk, besides there's only one ward on the door and I'm fairly sure it's only defensive." Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Look, it feels similar to the wards around Privet Drive did, back before Voldemort resurrected. I'm not a complete idiot." He muttered eventually.

"I know." She said softly, looking down at the ground. "It's just... I need you okay, so don't go dying on me by being reckless. Please?"

Harry's heart melted at the gaze of longing and concern on her face so he pulled her unresisting body into his and kissed her. "With you to come back to, you have no worries about that. Now get that door open, I brought you along for a reason after all."

Blushing, Hermione turned to the unimposing door and started her diagnostic charms. The results were less than conclusive and she'd be willing to bet that some form of concealment had been used to distort the magical signatures she should be getting back. "_Alohomora._" She tried, for old times sake. Nothing clicked but the doorknob turned under her hand. "That actually worked?" She raised an eyebrow as the door swung open.

The room itself bore little resemblance to the modern classrooms or offices of the castle, its walls where still plain stone, but there the resemblance ended. A large obelisk took center stage in the middle of the room, made mostly of stone but it was etched with metals and substances Harry did not want to guess at. To his senses it was vibrating tower of power, sitting on a pulsing pool of energy and at its base, large blue crystals seemed to have grown from the floor and shimmered with runes and words.

"What are waiting for?" Hermione asked as she darted past him. "Look at those books! And the tools and... Are those tuning forks?" She asked, heading towards one of the corner benches that did actually seem to have a bunch of tuning forks down it's side.

"Hermione." Harry barked sharply. "Get back here and don't touch anything until we know why there was a warning on the door."

"But..." Hermione tried to raise a protest as she backed slowly away from the large book she'd been just about to grab. "It's just a runic research area! She wouldn't have anything dangerous lying around, it would have been on the wards..." Harry's eyes remained cold to her impassioned pleas as he stepped closer. Raising her hand to his lips he licked the blood off of a small cut before replying.

"Hermione, there is a mummified body in amongst those crystals by the obelisk, complete with wand, some kind of gauntlet and various other interesting artefacts. I suggest we work out what killed her before we start touching things." She frowned. "I need need you as much as you need me."

She pouted. "Fine, but after that..." She trailed off.

"After we've done that and worked out how I'm supposed to bind this room to me, you can go over everything to your hearts content." He looked nervously at the obelisk. "That's the keystone though, so you'll have to forgive me if I ask you to move everything to a different room."

Hermione smiled weakly and headed off to examine the books while Harry started examining the remains. The bushy haired girl naturally found the answer first.

"It's in here. The experiment log of Morrigan Ravenclaw. The second to last entry states that she had just finished configuring it, and the keystone's reserves where running low. It seems she'd ordered the room to let no one else into her office and locked it with a ward. She didn't state which. Then one of the other staff members, maybe even the Headmaster himself must have tried very hard to breach the door and find out what she was doing..." Her hands shook as she started to read aloud.

_'I have done all I can for now, the rune structure has been adjusted so that this place resides mostly in the Never, therefore reducing the power requirements on the line. I pity whoever is stuck cleaning the corridors now I've redirected the energy from the arrays to do that._

_Overall, my idea was both idiotic and foolish. The door back to mortal reality has already faded and I have no way of making it return short of a miracle in recharging the keystone. That same keystone being the only thing keeping this room from dissolving into chaos like a vanished item._

_There is but one rational path left for me to take as my dreams of creating living cores within creations of metal and stone die with me: I will imbue the keystone with my own energy and sacrifice in the hope that one day my colleagues will discover and continue my research._

_Should another of the gift emerge then the ring, name and vault is theirs. Everything is to be held in trust until that time._

_Not much of a last will and testament, but it will have to do._

_Farewell.'_

Two pairs of eyes turned to the giant stone monolith in the centre of the room. The runes on it flashed and oscillated, the surface rippled. Metal encrustations circled round the base like a growth. Shimmering green metal wrapped its way up the sides, and it's top was coated in a glowing gold.

"Well, that answers that question so we can assume the room is mostly safe." Harry said as the silence dragged out. "You said you'd found working instructions on how to bind ley-line nodes to a person, right?"

Hermione nodded mutely. "Yes, it's a couple of blood runes and rest is all willpower." She looked at him nervously. "I'm not sure this is a good idea with a pre-established enchantments though. Do I really have to spell out how bad an idea breaking this thing is?"

Harry chuckled. "Well them, we'll just have to adjust the runes and intent. It should be easy enough with you at my side and the personal library of a Ravenclaw." He smiled and she shook her head.

"Fine. I'll look through these for information on what this keystone is. You... meditate and rest. Whatever happens, it's probably going to hurt." She said softly, drifting over the tomes as Harry seated himself in front of the keystone and closed his eyes.

Hermione gasped as she opened the second book, her thoughts jumping and tumbling like cats as what felt like a wave of confidence and inspiration washed through and caressed her. Biting her lip, she turned to the oblivious young man that was meditating on the floor. So much... power. She couldn't wait till he claimed her... The books soared past beneath her hands as she worked, wording and rewording, altering runes, reaching higher and higher heights of understanding and inspiration.

OoooOoooO

Daphne checked her mail again as the owl nicked her breakfast. Two Gringotts letters and one large package from the same owl sealed with blood charms. Her house mates were openly staring at her, so she did the discrete thing and placed them in her bag. "You're not going to open them?" Pansy asked, staring at her. "It could be a marriage contract, you know. My parents where trying to arrange one with the previous Lord Malfoy." She sighed and made dreamy eyes at Draco.

Daphne's spoon clattered on the plate. "I prefer my private business to remain private." She stated coldly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find out why the goblins deemed it necessary to send me twenty feet of parchment." And with that she strode away.

OoooOoooO

_3 Hours Later..._

Harry opened his eyes. The patterns that twisted through the air and could warp and twist this world to his will glowed. He kind of understood them now, on an instinctual level, the interactions of the keystone and the plane of existence they were currently in. He'd tasted the magic with his awareness and it was starting to make sense. Standing, he placed his palm flat against the warm, pulsing, stone, felt it's power pushing against his own essence.

"Done, I think that should- Harry, you're back." His bushy haired genius exclaimed happily and handed him several pieces of parchment. He read through them slowly.

"Are you sure this is correct?" He asked once he reached the final part, a runic circle that would have be inscribed into his palm. "It's a little complex and I don't recognise half the runes involved." She blushed.

"They're from her personal collection." She muttered with a cute frown. "I've studied them as well as I can and they were used in the rooms construction to dominate this realm instead of being consumed by it. We're sitting in chaos, or something close to it. We've... almost vanished, if that makes sense."

"It does." He answered, holding his right hand up to her. "But you'll be doing the carving, I'd just mess it up." She nodded and nervously pulled him over to a workbench, replacing the stick of lead in one of the compasses with a small scalpel blade that Harry carried for harvesting potion ingredients.

"Do not move." She warned, and he slammed down his mental defences as the pain began.

Blood dripped across the ground as movement aggravated the deep cuts in palm. The tendons to his fingers had been severed as he'd twitched unexpectedly so he was forced to use his left hand to trace runes on the stone, the crimson hissing and spitting as they formed correctly. That done he pressed his palm against the very peak of the keystone, where his will could flow through and claim the structure instead of at the bottom, which he'd have done if he just wanted to claim the ley-line.

"_By blood and will I claim Dominion of this realm!" _Harry yelled. There was silence as his eyes narrowed in focus. His teeth clenched.

Sweat dripped off his brow and onto the floor.

Light eclipsed them suddenly, forcing Hermione to look away, stumbling as everything in the room was pulled towards him and the reek of burning flesh seared her nostrils. She coughed.

It was over.

Shaking she crawled over to the pale and shaking form of her Lord. Then she heard it, the faint wheezy chuckling. He was laughing. How dare he be laughing after scaring her like that.

Harry James Potter looked up into the burning eyes of his girlfriend and gulped. "Sorry, it's just such a rush..." He muttered as Hermione grabbed at his hand, frowned and uncorked a blood replenishment potion. It wasn't one of his. He coughed, he spluttered, he spat the taste of it from his mouth. Then he glared.

"Serves you right for worrying me, how do you feel?"

"Like a limp noodle that's been stuck in a mains socket." Harry replied. "And that made far more sense in my head."

"I'm sure it did." She answered, reaching down to pull him off the floor. "I'm sure it did. Your hand is fucked by the way."

He looked down at the shimmering gold metal that had seared itself into the rune circle and felt the resistance as he flexed it with his other hand. There was magic in that metal, powerful magic that he wasn't entirely sure was his. It was no longer a case of a simple episkey or a trip to the hospital wing to heal that injury. The worst he'd been expecting was a scar.

"Shit." He spat, fumbling a small vial of black liquid from his back pocket. "Nerve and muscle healing accelerator." He answered her before she had a chance to ask. "Normally used for Cruciatus exposure but I don't have a muscle fixer on me. That probably says something about my life." Hermione snorted.

"That definitely wasn't supposed to happen, so what do we do now?" She asked him.

"Now..." Harry said with a frown as he lent back. "Now we construct ourselves a headquarters, liberally stealing ideas from the Department of Mysteries. Come to think of it, I wonder whether their entire department is based on this kind of construct?"

Hermione gave him The Look and they started going over Harry's designs.

OoooOoooO

"It was right there." Draco pointed to the embossed wall relief of what appeared to be a goddess of justice standing under a gateway formed of stars. "I swear..." He started pacing backwards and forwards.

"Yeah, right, a magic room that turns itself into whatever you like? I swear you just like looking at the carving of a blindfolded women in scandalous robes." Pansy snapped at him. "Now is there a reason we're stuck up here looking at something some randy idiot etched on the wall? I hate climbing that many stairs just after lunch."

"Looks a lot like Granger." Nott remarked idly. The others snickered as Malfoy stopped pacing and stared at the engraving.

"It's always been a door, or nothing." Malfoy stated. "I just don't understand why someone would put that there? Maybe Dumbledore found out and sealed it off or..."

"Maybe some idiot broke it. Assuming this room even existed in the first place." Pansy put forward rolling her eyes. Malfoy twitched. There had been the second half of that vanishing cabinet here, he was sure of it and now his 'friends' were pretending he'd made it all up. "Let's go and do something useful like work a way to get someone out of the castle without Potter or Dumbledore stopping us."

"The floo in Snape's office would be the obvious choice." Nott put forward. The group looked at him like he'd grown an extra head. "Sometimes I think you lot couldn't get drunk in a winery, so I'll leave you to work out how to separate Granger from her friends. Just to see if you can." He said before turning and leaving the other stunned Slytherins behind them.

"How did he know what our mission is if he doesn't follow our Lord?" Pansy asked uneasily.

"His father must have told him." Draco glared. "There's no other way he could have known." He told himself. Because if anyone could guess then Granger would, who'd tell Potter who'd... Hells, he had no idea what Potter would do, even if he was sure he could beat him in a duel now. Potter hadn't spent all Summer being trained by Death Eaters, had he?

OoooOoooO

"Now, stay out of our way and we won't have to have another talk like this. Agreed?" Erin froze as she heard Ginny's voice echo down the corridor. The words were achingly familiar. Snapping out of it, she ran round the corridor. The Weasley held her wand on the whimpering Slytherin and turned to glare at her, two boys shadowing her.

"What do you want Mantle? Come to join in?" Erin reacted as though she were being slapped.

"N-No... Just- leave her alone. What did she ever do to you?" Erin demanded warily, a click of her fingers shooting her wand into her hand from the enchanted holster. "When did you get so mean?"

"Since the man I thought I loved found out my family had been screwing him since his parents died." She spat. "What the hell do you care anyway?" She glared at the intruder. "Come on boys, let's get away from the hypocrite. Oh, and five points from Slytherin for crying in the corridor."

Erin rolled her eyes. Who had died and made her a prefect? "Are you okay? Hurt at all?" She asked the tear streaked little girl who'd hastily snatched her own wand from where it had fallen.

She shook her head mutely. "I just asked for help finding the Gryffindor common room because I wanted to talk to Harry and I got lost." Erin sat down beside her. "I guess I'm just lucky she didn't hex me or something, she was about to. I think."

"Yeah. I don't know what got into her." She knelt down next to the Slytherin. "Maybe it was her time of the month or something." The sat in silence for a moment.

"Why are you making excuses for her?" The firsty asked unexpectedly after a couple of minutes. Erin stiffened.

"Because I was a lot worse to others than she was to you." Erin stood slowly. "Look, you probably don't want to hand around with me since I'm a muggleborn, so why don't we head back to the great hall, or the dungeons or something?"

"Not the Gryffindor common room?" She asked innocently.

"I'm not stupid enough to get involved with the Slytherin-Gryffindor feud so... no." Erin said firmly. "If you want to talk to Harry that bad you can always go and talk to him at dinner tonight. Malfoy definitely tries to taunt him frequently enough." The little Slytherin shivered.

"Malfoy and his friends give me the creeps." She replied as they walked along. "So... why did you do it?"

"Why did I... Oh." Erin sighed, debating telling her story to a Slytherin of all people. "Well, I guess I could say that my parents had... expectations." She sighed. "They still do. Magic is something beneath their time or a tool to use for profit in the non-magical world. I was private schooled and they wouldn't settle for anything less than the best magical one. It's not that I was taught not to look down on people who were different, or 'stupid' it was just expected. Being a 'Claw doesn't help much. If the Gryffindor flaw is acting without thinking, then Ravenclaw's is elitism."

"Then why did you stop?"

"One day I looked in the mirror and didn't like what looked back." Erin answered as truthfully as she could. "Come on, let's get you back to the dungeons."

OoooOoooO

_3rd October, 1992_

"This isn't a good idea." Erin tried, nervously. Su sent a scathing look in her direction. "What if a teacher sees us or something?" Luna was backed up against the wall, eying them with nervous eyes.

"Scared, Mantle?" The second year taunted. "We're Ravenclaws, we know the teachers schedule and there isn't going to be any coming for a long time." She seemed almost gleeful at that fact. Erin's stomach turned, the feelings that had been building up for the last week crawling like ants under her skin. The first hex hit the cowering blond in the face. Something inside her snapped.

"Stop it." She said quietly. "Just stop it." She said a little louder. No one paid her any attention. "I said stop!" They did.

"Look, we're just putting the Loony in her place." Su said coldly. "If you didn't want to be part of it, you shouldn't have joined in in the first place."

Erin gulped as the rest of the groups wands pointed at her. "_Expelliarmus!_" Everyone's eyes followed the path of Su's wand as Harry Potter snatched it out the air.

"Get the hell away from her before I hurt you." He threatened, behind him Padma, Hermione and a Gryffindor she didn't recognise spread out to reinforce the threat. Throwing Luna a weak smile, Erin fled from both groups. The Ravens' hesitated for a second before giving chase.

Hermione went up to the crying first year as Daphne poked her head out of the invisibility cloak long enough to tell them the coast looked clear. "I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner." Hermione said, slowly reversing the charms that Luna had been afflicted with.

"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!" Luna glared at Padma as she sat down beside the younger Ravenclaw, glistening trails running down her face.

"No I didn't, I promised you I wouldn't tell a professor. So I told my friends instead, and they want to help, see? Now, how would you like to study with us and learn how to stop that sort of thing in future?" Luna looked up at her, wide eyed.

"You have a wrackspurt in your hair." She stated softly.

"Is-is that a yes?" A nervous Neville stuttered.

_Two months later..._

"_Finite_." The blond hair witch tucked her wand back behind her ear as her roommate's teeth stopped chattering and her hair changed back to it's natural black.

"Thank you." Erin said softly, not stuttering for the first time that day. "I know I don't deserve it but... thank you." Ever since she'd stood up for the strange blond they'd been picking on her instead, choosing rare and exotic spells just so she couldn't find the counters to easily. It made her wonder how she'd cope for the rest of the year. She was already behind on the assignments her mother insisted she did alongside her magical stuff and that was suffering too.

"That's okay. The nargles would have been disappointed in me if I hadn't helped you." Luna's weary eyes looked back up at her. "I can teach it to you if you like, the general counter spell, it's just tiring."

"Thank you." Erin hugged herself, reminding herself of who she wanted to be. "Maybe I could teach you some maths or chemistry in return. I haven't been doing that well since... you know."

"Chemistry, that's a muggle thing, isn't it?" Luna tilted her head to one said as though listening to something. "That would work. You could go and teach it to Hermione instead. She likes that kind of thing. Just be careful of Harry."

Erin looked up, frowning. "Why?" She asked a little hesitantly.

Luna's eyes found the floor. "He's very protective of his friends." Erin blinked. Oh, yeah. _That_.

Some day, she told herself firmly, some day she'd find a place she fitted in. Until then, maybe Luna was willing to be a friend.

OoooOoooO

_AN__: __Thus __ends __the__ flashbacks__ of__ how __the__ study__ group__ ended __up __being __formed__, __along__ with __adding __a__ little__ depth__ to __a__ few __characters__. __Hopefully __you __won__'__t crucio__ me __for __what__ I__'__m__ planning __on __doing __with __Dobby__._


	9. Houses and Elves

_Thank you for the wonderful long reviews I've been getting. Especially those that have speculated on what's going on and pointed out flaws. I may have a beta now who is going to start going through chapters one by one and hopefully reduce the error rate. _

_It's a little weird to think how this started as a bit of a smut/crack fic before gaining a large amount of plot and deciding to be serious. As such I apologise for the inconsistencies of the background - I have learnt a lot from writing this._

_Now, on with the story:_

* * *

><p><strong>9. Houses and Elves<strong>  
><em>2nd September, Hogwarts Library<em>

_References, Restricted, Runes... _Padma sighed, looking over the piece of paper she'd found in the reference section: The ritual section is between the Restricted section and the Rune section. She looked up at the bookcases again, it wasn't there. That was a problem, Hogwarts library was... enormous. Nearly a hundred-thousand books, handwritten over the centuries, maintained and preserved by the Ravenclaw enchantments. It was an amazing piece of architecture and took up the majority of the second floor of the castle.

The library containing a thousand years of assorted books, journals, school texts and other random things also made it nigh impossible to find anything unless it was labelled.

If only the Point Me charm worked in this mess, it would have made research a lot easier. "I wasn't expecting to see you here, or at the feast for that matter." Padma spun.

"Nott, what are you doing here?" She asked nervously, eyes searching for the librarian.

The black haired, athletic pureblood seemed to drink in the sight of her, raising his hands palm in the universal gesture of peace. "Looking for you, I wondered how you'd managed to stay since you'd rather risk losing your magic than marry me?"

"There was never any risk of me losing my magic, I do have the protection of an Ancient and Most Noble house, you know. What annoyed me was why my father felt the need to marry me off to someone I've barely spoken to." Padma answered uneasily, shuffling up against the rope barrier of the restricted section. They hadn't gotten their usual restricted section passes from Babbling, the arithmancy teacher, so she couldn't really retreat further.

"Well, I'm sorry you felt the need to do that and I'm amazed that such a House is willing to support you without a name. It's making some of the Slytherins wonder just what services you're providing your mysterious backers." He said sadly, eyes finding the bookcase behind her. "It's a shame if they're true. I really hope your sister doesn't feel the same as you. It took me quite a time to convince my father that you were the best choice."

"Is that a threat?" Padma asked quietly, eyes narrowing as her wand flicked into her hand.

"No. No it's not. I'm fairly sure you're backed by Potter now, which means you were never neutral in the first place." He looked fondly back at her. "Smart and exotic, if you had been neutral, you would have been perfect for me. As it is, I'm not stupid enough to get myself involved in this war, but you're still a better choice than Millicent. Can you believe my father wanted to match me with her?"

"Well, she is Slytherin pureblood in your year, a far more respectable match than a foreign Ravenclaw."

"You're not foreign, and you were a pureblood before you refused me. Millicent can trace less generations than you, has the cunning of a bull and is my cousin, twice removed. I'll have to pick a side within the year if I end up betrothed to her." Theodore Nott shrugged. "The reference section has some interesting highlights on betrothal and lineage laws."

"What do you really want here Nott?" Padma had raised her wand to point straight between his eyes. He didn't blink or show the slightest bit of fear from her obvious threat. _Occlumency, _she cursed to herself. Daphne could probably sneak in without him noticing but she wouldn't be able to.

"To apologise. When I convinced my father to arrange the betrothal, splitting your family and having everything end up like this wasn't a possibility I'd considered." The corner of his lip twitched. "I'm not Mafloy, and I'm not used to my plans failing so spectacularly. I am quite sorry for the predicament you have found yourself in."

"That's it?" Padma asked rhetorically. "I'm sorry? No expression of emotion, of caring, just 'I'm sorry I screwed your life up in one of my schemes and I'll apologise so I can still save my ass should the light side win?" The tip of her wand dug into his throat as Nott's bark brown eyes stared into hers. "I'm not an idiot, Nott."

"I wouldn't have been interested in you weren't, but what would Potter think if he found you threatening me like this?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why, we're so close it's almost intimate."

Silent spells flowed through her wand as anger raised it's ugly head. "Harry," she breathed into his ear, "would tell me to never leave an enemy in a position to threaten me later. I'm not Dumbledore to forgive you whenever you ask for it."

Nott stumbled back staring at the Ravenclaw girl whose eyes had been flecked with red for a briefest moment. His stomach churned, head pounded. Pain sliced through his forehead. "I'm not your enemy." He managed to rasp.

Padma raised an eyebrow and turned her back on the Slytherin who slumped slowly to the ground. "Then start acting like it." A negligent wave of her wand cleared most of the hexes she'd placed on him other than the nearly illegal ones - they had components that stopped the general counter-curses from working. Or reacted badly to it.

Walking away to try and clear her head, Padma wondered if Harry had managed to have a more productive morning than she had.

OoooOoooO

_Hogwarts Kitchen, an hour or so later._

Hermione hadn't let Harry go since they'd stumbled from the Room, their stomachs protesting at the length of time they'd spent in their new lair. Despite the rumbling, the warmth of her skin on his was intoxicating and he barely noticed as his girl tickled the pear and they went downstairs. He blinked as Hermione let go of him and the giant round eyes of a House Elf stared at them in anticipation. "Erm, we missed breakfast and lunch so we were wondering if we could get something to eat?" He just about managed. The Elf nodded and gestured to a small table of the side and they sat down to wait. Hermione gasped as she spotted a familiar elf by the fire, threading through the other elves towards them.

"Harry Potter Sirs and his Hermy. I was not expecting to be seeing of you so soon." Dobby said as he came to a stop before their table, the dark bags under his eyes made him seem worse than they'd ever seen before, an empty bottle of beer dangling from a limp hand. "Have you come to talks to Dobby? Nobody is talkings to me anymore, not even Winky." He swung the bottle wildly to point over by the fire, the light distorted by a faint fuzz of hair coating his skin. The elf from earlier shot Dobby a disgusting look as it slid two steaming plates in front of the teens.

"Go aways you Shirker, masters won't be wanting to speaks to you. You Bad Elf." Dobby snarled at the creature as it snapped at him, causing it to squeal and flee back to its job.

"Dobby has no master, Dobby wants no master. Dobby is his own." He repeated like a mantra, turning back to Harry and Hermione with pleading wide eyes. "You is understanding aren't you?" They nodded slowly, laying their loaded cutlery back onto the plate unsure what to make of the smiling, drunk elf before them. "Dobby was knowing you'd understand it, the needs to be your own creature." He snorted. "Wizards sometimes say truth is at end of bottle." He held it up to his eye, looking through it at the world. "I think they is lying. I think by end of bottle you be speaking truth. Truth is painful thing."

"What's wrong?" Harry asked him with a frown.

"What's wrong? Everything is wrong. We is meant to work, meant to be happy. But I has no happy." Dobby paused, looking around nervously. "I watched thems you know. Watched cat lady tell lemon drop, who then watch shinies. All do nothing. Nothing. Friend Harry fights evil ones with his friends and old master dies. Dobby be happy, but I won't work for lemon drop. Then I is finding I can't leave. No magic past forest. Free Elf needs free magic. So I has not been working. It is like nest of crawlies under skin. Itchy, all the time." He shrugged. "But I has had worse. I has been with Malfoys." He tried to drink from the empty bottle, snarled and threw it away. Other House Elves clamoured to be the first to clean up the broken glass.

"You could always help Peeves." Hermione found herself suggesting, mind working away at the problem. "Or us. We're going to need some help to keep the room clean, aren't we?" She looked up to Harry who was chuckling to himself.

"Hermione Granger, corrupting small harmless creatures to the art of pranking. What happened to the respectful girl I once knew? Yes, we will need the help." He said, turning back to the elf in front of him.

Hermione answered by burrowing further into his side. "She found a better authority figure to trust. But that's not the point, from what I've read House Elves might be a form of Brownie, creatures that would domestic work for gifts and food but make life hell for anyone who mistreated them." She looked fondly at the elf who was suddenly smiling at them. "If you can't work you might as well see if pranking scratches the itch."

"I is liking this idea, Harry's Hermy. I is liking it very much. I is thinking I shall try being Brownie. But not with magics. Dobby is hoarding his magics, it makes him feel better." His ears drooped, a frown appearing on his face as he turned his eyes down to the table. "I has been preventings you from eating, and lettings your food gets cold."

"It's okay." Harry said quickly, flicking his wand across their meals. "Easily fixed. If there's anything we can help you with, just let us know okay?"

"I will." He replied with certainty. "But nows I repay some of the debt I is owing you both. You is needing someone to clean and works for just you, not reporting to lemon drop?" His smiled, showing teeth. "Winky is not doing 'freedom' but she was good at working, very good. Eat up, and I will be introducing you. She will love having new family to be working for and will be happy cleaning your room." The pair of Gryffindors shared a puzzled glance before their stomachs complained. Loudly.

The food over with, Harry bound his first elf in a pseudo-ritual involving blood and oaths and used their protean parchment to set a time for him and others to meet. He wanted to show off his new domain.

OoooOoooO

_Seventh Floor Corridor_

Harry closed his eyes and relaxed, letting up the flimsy barrier he kept on his new 'mage sense' fall slightly. The energy of the portrait, engraving and the very corridor itself clotted his new sense with feeling, but he could still sense all of the people in the corridor with him. Satisfied they were alone, he opened his eyes. "Looks like it's just us." He said with a small smile, turning to the engraving of Blind Justice. "Luna, Neville, I'll need your magical signatures to set up the access ward properly."

"What about us?" The pair of Slytherins asked as they emerged from under Harry's invisibility cloak. He just shrugged. It wasn't polite to just say '_The ward recognises you as mine, so I don't need to' _even if that was how the domain magic seemed to work so he said nothing and added his friends signatures to the ward.

"Now that's done, I welcome you all to the more secure Room of Requirement or the Hideout," Harry bowed and gestured to the engraving, "since the actual Requirement bit doesn't work anymore, so, err, don't go asking for anything." He added sheepishly. "The password is _Gremlins._" He smiled as one of the stars on the engraving glowed a faint blue, allowing him to walk through the illusion.

"This is the lobby." He announced after the others had shuffled in after him, gesturing to the octagonal room with four doors and a large number of empty planters. "It needs a lot of plant life to generate more magic for the keystone so we can add more space. What we have at the moment is the maximum we can support by drawing from Hogwarts, and the wards are reliant on me and Hermione charging them regularly. Now, if anyone has any preferences on plant life..." Harry trailed off.

"Let me guess, you're trying to foist this off on me?" Neville snorted, his eyes strayed around the circle. "Fine, I'll do it. It'll keep me occupied."

"Good, now, this room is just like the entrance to the Department of Mysteries. State your destination and a door will open to it. For example: _Girls Dormitory._" One of the doors swung open, revealing a large comfortable looking lounge with staircases. "_Boys Dormitory._" The door shut and opened again after a moment. The girls raised an eyebrow, but it was definitely a different room on the other side.

"There's also a laboratory, workroom and... well, since the person who built this was a Ravenclaw who scanned in the entirety of the castles blueprints and did a lot of spell-work on the Library," Hermione grinned like a maniac as she continued. "Which was why it always defaulted to castle architecture, we have the _Ravenclaw Library._"

The door to the boys dormitory slammed shut and the door opposite it opened, revealing a massive room, split into seven sections arranged like petals on a flower bookcases covering every last inch as the core of the 'flower' was set up like a study area with one large desk in the middle. "It's all conjured, so don't take any of the books out, copy them instead." Harry warned as they filtered through and descended upon the stacks like a Niffler in a jewellery shop.

"Harry, when were these books archived into the room?" Padma asked nervously as she tried to work out the system this library ran on, the titles of one book snagging at her memory.

"As close as we can get it, they're the accessed books from 1564, the year the Room of Requirements was created, with the exception of the restricted section which apparently Ravenclaw's scanning charm didn't get." Harry said with ill-disguised glee.

"The room was created by a Ravenclaw, they've been dead for centuries. In fact the last living Ravenclaw, Morrigan was... a teacher here, who disappeared two days after the first Dragon Pox plague." She shivered. "Hogwarts was shut for ten years afterwards, and few of the teachers survived, she was assumed dead of the disease or splinched in transit from the draining effects." Padma said sadly.

"Well, neither of those are true, we found her body." Harry shrugged. "It's nearly mummified and we really need to decide what to do with it." Padma nodded slowly, obviously lost in thought.

"Enough." Daphne said loudly before she could ask anything else, drawing the wanderers attention back to the central table she'd sat at. "The books aren't going anywhere and we have a meeting to perform. while learning everything we can is important, we're still less active than the Order of the Phoenix. I refuse to simply sit back and do nothing with my house mates in danger." She steepled her fingers as she took a seat at the head of the table, relegating Harry to her right hand and Hermione to her left. "As it stands the magical world is going to hell in a handcart and nobody else is trying to stop it." Daphne's eyes fell heavily on them as they took their seat. "Now, I have a couple of plans but I wanted to hear your ideas first..."

OoooOoooO

"That's it then, everyone can go back to studying and trawling through books." Daphne said rearranging the notes on her desk. "For about ten minutes before we have to go for dinner." The cries of excitement turned to disappointment. "But not you Mr. Potter, I need a word with you."

Harry gulped and reinforced his Occlumency shields on reflex. She raised an eyebrow. "I kind of wanted to talk to you anyway." He admitted nervously, shuffling a little in his seat.

"Oh?" She prompted.

"Has Hermione talked to you at all?" Harry asked, fidgeting a little.

Daphne rolled her eyes, "No, but Blaise has, what where you thinking vanishing her bra like that?"

"I wasn't." Harry admitted reluctantly. "I was just angry that she'd hit Valour by mistake even if that was mostly my fault. She's not that angry is she?" He looked at the exotic Zabini whose current grin was wider than the Cheshire cat's. It seemed she'd found the charms section of the library.

"Look," Daphne said quietly, forcing Harry to devote his attention to her. "there are a lot of different people in this world and no one is exactly the same, but there are certain archetypes that people share. Blaise is what I like to think of as a... wildcat." She shrugged. "She's playful, fiendish and will keep trying pranks until she gets what she wants." Daphne didn't feel the need to elaborate on what that was. "All you've done is embarrass her a little and stop her for a week or two without anyone getting hurt. You remember when Malfoy started singing Green Tulips and ended up in the hospital wing?" They both shuddered. "So why did you expect me to talk about Hermione?"

"She called me Master this morning." Daphne gaped at him. Opening and closing her mouth. Then she giggled. "What? It's not funny. It makes me feel like... like... Riddle. Or something dirty." That shut Daphne up.

"Some times I forget you grew up with your relatives and have no concept of what girls want or the kinkier side of things." Harry blinked at her blunt statement. "We all know you're not the most emotional person in the world, Harry, unless it comes to the darker stuff, but that's not your fault. I just thought you'd have noticed." Daphne sighed, blushed and looked away. "Hermione is..." She bit her lip. "Well, Hermione is a submissive." She got out, as though that explained everything.

Harry stared at her blankly. "But she... nags me, and... and stops me from doing stupid things."

"Merlin, you really have no idea, do you?" Daphne stated with a blank look as the Occlumency came down hard. "Right... Well..." She said uneasily. "I was going to give you some books for Hermione's birthday present but... I think you might need them sooner." Harry was still looking at her with confusion etched across her face. "She has sexual fantasies about being dominated by you. I can't really understand her view myself since I'm not a switch but it's about trust and looking after each other in a certain way." Understanding slowly made it's way across his features as Daphne tried to reign in her analytical mind that was already making all kinds of plans. It's just... Her boyfriend. Knew nothing. About sex. A nice blank canvas for her to work on and... _Merlin._

"Right, okay. What did you want to talk to me about then, if it wasn't about that?" Harry got out quickly before the mutual embarrassment made their cheeks catch fire from blushing.

Daphne shuffled nervously in her seat, pulling a thick folder out of her charmed bag and placing it on the table. She opened it to the first page and slid it across the table so he could read it. '_Althric Artifice, established 1996' _Was printed in the frugal scrawl common to goblins. "Why are the seven of us on the board of directors for a company that _you _set up without telling us?" Daphne demanded, her glare lacking it's usual iciness.

"It was an idea I had, I didn't really expect the goblins to work this fast or come to you with it. I was expecting to deal with it at Christmas." Harry said, frowning as he looked over the figures on the later pages. "We can't afford to spend all our time making the artefacts Hermione and Erin create but at the same time we can't afford to not have them. Similarly, I shouldn't be spending all my time brewing potions, or making enchanting silver for you when I could be advancing my field." Harry ran a hand through his hair as he leant back.

"But, every year, most first-generation students who graduate with high marks struggle to find work as they're vastly overqualified for the jobs the purebloods and ministry are willing to dole out. I just thought that by creating a company to utilise that unused talent we'd be able to get a lot more done and possibly make a profit out of it." Harry shrugged. "It will also give Hermione a nice place to work and some colleagues when this is over and we can't understand a word she says about runes or enchantments. I _will not_let her waste away as a secretary."

Daphne made a couple of notes, smiling as she heard what was possibly his real reason. If he carried on like that, he might not even need much training. "I can definitely see the benefits in doing this, though I'm not certain that some of these people in here would be willingly relegated to manufacturing even if they're grateful for the job. But, combined with this library and the Black Fortune, we can easily afford a research division." Her eyes glinted as the plan evolved in her mind. "After they give an oath of loyalty to their new Lord, so they can't betray our secrets to Dumbledore or Riddle without their own magic choking them to death. It should be easy enough, very few of the people in the criteria you set are fond of the ministry. There are even a couple of goblins in here, applying for managerial, finance and guard jobs."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? Well, that's interesting. What do you think their motives are for applying? It can't be spying, that's too obvious. They'd also never do anything for free, which means that there's a cost involved beyond their salaries."

"Maybe it's a challenge?" Daphne theorised. "That's what I'd do if I where them, to seeing whether a potential ally is as willing to work with you as you believe." She flicked through the pages, rubbing her forehead with her other hand. "We don't have time to talk all of this over though." She looked up at the others combing through the library books and creating large piles of books to read later. "_Sonorous._Everyone, you can carry on going through the books later they're not going to disappear from here." The girl nodded. "Girls, we need to come back here after dinner, Harry has some business for us to go over."

Harry swallowed uneasily as the group made their way down to the dining hall, Slytherins trailing five minutes behind the rest. He didn't dare look in Hermione's direction to see the glares she was probably shooting him for interrupting her library time.

OoooOoooO

_Great Hall, Hogwarts_

"I hate being stared at." Harry sighed as they sat down at the Hufflepuff table, in what was normally regarded as fourth and fifth year seating. "Bring back first year, when I wasn't the centre of attention, there wasn't someone trying to kill me and my greatest worry was why Snape didn't like me."

"So you'd rather be one of the sheep?" Hannah asked the group of them as they waited for the food to appear. "I'd rather live an interesting life than a boring one. What kind of life would we live without..." She broke off and looked away. "Erm, yeah, let's not ask that question. Hey Ernie."

"Hey to you too Hannah." Ernie Macmillan said as he walked up to his usual spot just up the table, eyes widening as he recognised the early people. "Harry Potter, wow... What brings all of you to our fair table?"

"I'm just getting ready to eat with my friends." Harry replied with a bemused smile, this was a lot more friendly than some of the reactions they thought could result from their little stunt. "There's not rule against that, is there?"

"Nah, not at all." Ernie said, ignoring his normal place to sit down next to Susan. "Perfectly fine by me mate, just surprising is all. Pomona always says that our Housemates are our friends, thought it would be the same in Gryffindor."

"Professor McGonagall said that your House is your family." Neville said with a shrug. "In first year? I think?" His brow creased. Occlumency was a brilliant magical art that allowed near-perfect recall but you had to know it, invest a certain amount of magic, and spend the time at the end of the day to file away the important memories. They hadn't mastered that part till the start of third year so anything before them was a little blurry.

"Sounds about right." Harry answered for him. "Though that was also the last thing I remember hearing of it. If Gryffindor is supposed to be my family then they're not a very good one." He shot a glance at the girl at his side. "And there is no way in hell I am going to think of Hermione as a sister." The comment broke the ice as Hermione blushed as red as a Weasley's hair.

"Can I sit with you?" The shy little girl from the train fought up the courage to ask Harry when he turned to see what effect sitting on the Hufflepuff table had. Other than some of the Gryffindor girls glaring, or in Lavender's case, trying for what might be classed as seductive there wasn't much. "Everyone over at my table is being mean to me." Valour tried as Harry seemed to ignore her, fiddling with the silver and green trim on her robes.

"Of course you're welcome to come and sit with us there's no rules against it, but you might want to go and talk to the first year Hufflepuffs they'll be more interesting than our discussions about more difficult things." Harry answered her with a warm smile.

"Inviting Slytherins to our table now, Potter, just who do you think you are?" Someone snarled as he strode towards them. "We're the House of the Loyal, Hufflepuff table is for Hufflepuffs." No one noticed as the girl in question slunk down the table to talk to some of the other Hufflepuffs as the people around Harry raised their voices in a clamour of protests and assurances that they supported him. Daphne took in those that didn't from the Slytherin table, raising an eyebrow at the number of girls that were competing to be the most exuberant in their support - except those in their study group. There were no real surprises there, as Lord Black Harry was the most eligible bachelor and the normally ambitious Slytherins wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. You only had to look at Malfoy's sneer that one of _his_House had deigned to talk with Potter.

"Filthy traitor, it's a sign of impure blood, having to consort with a bunch of lazy idiots to find friends." He all but spat.

"Maybe she just has more _ambition _than to be satisfied with one quarter of the school, and has the cunning to use Potter to get over our House's reputation." Daphne tried to point out to him, the poor first year would be an almost defenceless target. "Or have you forgotten the qualities of our house?"

Draco turned and sneered at her. "There's not point in making friends with mubloods and traitors, only Slytherins will matter soon. "

"_Enough._" Harry's voice rung through the Hall, grabbing everyone's attention as he stood. "I am sitting here with my friends, if you have a problem with that, then you have a problem with that. When you start insulting my friends, then I start having a problem with you. Now, sit down, let the feast appear and eat. Okay?"

"Well I can't." Zacharias Smith glared, fists clenched as he focused narrowed eyes on the boy standing opposite him. "Because thanks to you and your friends there aren't any seats left on the whole table, unless you're giving me yours and are going to go back to Gryffindor where you belong?"

Harry glared at him, a shiver running through the watching crowd. Zacharias started trembling. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, what was happening down there? Malfoy and his friends started mumbling amongst themselves as Daphne sat still. Professor Sprout twitched.

"Potter!" Snape yelled, completely unaffected by whatever was holding most of the students and some of the staff enthralled as he stormed down from the staff table. Dumbledore cursed as the strange effect was cancelled before he had a chance to observe it further. "Ten points from Gryffindor for causing such a hideous commotion, now get back to your table were you belong so we can each without your annoying drivel."

Harry looked to him, blinked and a wry smile crept across his face. "But I am at my table, Snape."

"That's professor Snape to you, five points from Gryffindor for your disrespect." Snape snapped, "Your arrogance never ceases to amaze me."

"Really?" Harry asked with false disbelief. "But to qualify as a Professor, you have to hold a Mastery in a subject, while I acknowledge that have obtained a potions mastery by creating the Tip-Toad version of the Boil Cure potion, you don't hold one in Defence. Therefore 'Professor' is a title of respect." Harry smile bared teeth. "Now, since you have never done anything to earn my respect, or in fact the respect of any student outside of Slytherin. Then again, they should probably despise you due to your complete lack of subtlety or ambition... Then again we're talking about the house led by Draco Malfoy." Harry shrugged. "Not that I have anything against Slytherin as a House, just the vocal few whose best traits are their loyalty to their parents and their outdated beliefs."

Snape almost growled as Harry scored several painful hits against his character. "That is the worst set of absurd claims you have come up with yet." His eyes surveyed the room carefully. "But then, they believe you killed a Basilisk at age twelve, don't they. I'd be careful, boy, before your lies get you into more trouble."

The smile fell from Harry's face as though it had never been. His next words where quiet, but had some unearthly quality that allowed everyone in the room to hear him perfectly. "Severus Snape, naturally, subscribes to the same definition of 'truth' that Umbridge did. Not surprising with how you treat anyone who doesn't follow your master or belongs to his former House."

"That's Professor Snape!" He snarled, then smiled, his next words lacking their usual venom. "You rude little brat. Has no one taught you how to hold a conversation properly. First you address them, not the crowd and make sure you look them in the eye. Wouldn't want everyone thinking that you're a liar, would you?"

"If I met your eyes Snape, you would need a second. I do not take having my mind attacked lightly, no matter how often you like to do it to others." Harry didn't spare a glance to the head table as some of the students gasped or hurriedly asked if that was even possible. "People like you and Dumbledore with no concept of personal privacy are the reason why mental defences used to be a core course. Funny how it's considered a dark art now, isn't it?"

Harry turned and went to sit down, confident that the man behind him was held impotent by the oaths to his master. "As for you not having a Defence Against the Dark Arts Mastery, one of the requirements for the Mastery is that you pass interrogation under veritaserum and several other potions that negate the common defences against it. Can't have those qualified to defend against the arts in the service of a Dark Lord, can we? We both know there are questions that would be asked that would send you straight to Azkaban. I also asked the ministry, they have no record of you obtaining one." Harry sighed. "Now since you're not going to return those points you unfairly took, let us eat. The meal has arrived on the tables, after all." Reaching for his fork bedlam began.

Professor Sprout rounded on Zacharias, Snape stood there like a fish, trying to think of something to say and the rest of the students were busy asking each other about mind reading and Basilisks. Hannah smiled warmly as the wards she'd put up registered no spells being shot in their direction as they ate. "Well that went better than we expected." She said happily.

Hermione nodded. "It's good to see other people being social with people in other houses, even if it is forced. This lamb is rather good."

Harry just chuckled, weary from whatever it was he'd been doing then. "So, Gryffindor tomorrow, Ravenclaw the day after?" Everyone agreed and went back to eating, despite the glares and curious glances it was still better than the welcoming feast for most of them.

Daphne and Blaise struck up a conversation with Tracy about her friends and family in an attempt to ignore Malfoy and company, marvelling at how little they knew about their one possible ally in their year. It was an uneasy question for Daphne to ask herself: when had their study group become her only friends?

OoooOoooO

"I've finished eating, like you asked, so listen to me!" Ron hissed to his younger sister. "We've got to do something about Harry. He won't hang around with me, he's taking gold from Dumbledore, nearly ruined our family and he's loitering around with Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and changing things!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "With everything our mother did, we should be glad he hasn't told everyone else about it or ground us into the dirt."

"Yeah, but that was Mum. This is us, Harry wouldn't count her actions against us." Ron said with complete certainty, "But look at him." He pointed, making it obvious for the world to see who he was talking about. "Dumbledore must have asked me to keep an eye on him for a reason and now he's talking to a Slytherin girl! He's probably going dark or something. Saving him from that is definitely worth some gold, right?"

Ginny felt like crawling off into a corner and hoping her brother killed himself. "This is Harry we're talking about and he's talking to a _firsty_." She emphasised. "If he's going dark there isn't a damn thing we can do about it. He killed a Basilisk in his second year, remember?" Ron shot her a look of confusion as he tried to work out what giant snakes had to do with not going after Harry. "Besides, if you are one of his friends like you keep claiming, why have him and Hermione been avoiding you for the last four years?"

"They haven't been avoiding me they- they just, study- a lot. I guess. He killed that Basilisk for you didn't he?" Ron all but yelled. "Come on, I have a plan and everything, I just need your help."

"Ron, there are days when I think that Harry didn't find the Chamber of Secrets to save me, but found it to kill the creature that had dared hurt Hermione." Ginny gazed wistfully over at the Hufflepuff table where Harry had moved back to the 'bushy haired bookworm' and was whispering something into her ear. "Whatever you're planning, I don't want any part of it. I might not know what Harry's doing, but I'm not stupid enough to get in his way."

Ron looked at his sister with disgust. "I thought you were over that crush of yours? Maybe I should get that Hufflepuff boy he had an argument with involved. He'd probably help me."

"I am over that crush." Ginny hissed as her brother got up from the table. "But he holds all the pieces now." She whispered to herself. "Merlin, I hope my parents paid this years tuition in full, if Ron annoys Harry too much." She shivered, resolving to take her issues out on someone else.

Dumbledore stood up and tapped his glass. "while it's a pleasure to see so many of you here after the food has gone, I must remind you that curfew isn't that long and the sixth years have a special lecture here tomorrow. Also if Lord Black could see me after the meal, I have some items to return to him."

OoooOoooO

"Harry, what the hell are you doing?" Hermione snapped at him as they walked back to the room of requirement. At first he was touched that she'd waited for him to talk with the headmaster and send most of the items to the goblins for evaluation instead of heading to the library. Now he wasn't so sure.

"Hogwarts isn't the same Sovereignty as Britain, nothings going to kill me and the Potter ring isn't enchanted to kill any of the blood who isn't the current lord." He said as he pulled the ring from the top of his finger to calm her down.

"That's not what I'm worried about." Hermione said anxiously, staring at him with pleading eyes. "Don't you remember what I said about lots of rune inscribed items and what not to do with them?"

Harry sighed. "Of course I remember, you basically said not to let them touch unless they've been magically insulated, normally by wrapping in silk, as otherwise the rune circuits connect and could start interfering-" He looked down at the finger he'd been about to put the ring on. The finger right next to the one he was wearing the Black House ring. "Ah. That was a little stupid of me, wasn't it?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

He sighed. "Well, at least now I've realised why Daphne insisted on the two rings per hand rule and the correct fingers to wear primary and secondary rings. Even if I can't legally wear the Potter one. It's a shame that the laws specifically state that if a minor cannot claim what they're entitled to by will they must wait until their Majority to receive it. That's almost a year away." Harry said sadly.

"But mine's in little over a month." Hermione perked up at that. "I'm really looking forward to it and not just because of my birthday."

"The ritual?" Harry asked to divert attention from his stupid blunder.

Hermione nodded. "Aren't you looking forward to it? I thought you'd like what it involved, even though I'm not the best looking girl in the world."

Harry pulled her closer, trying to work out what to say while keeping what Daphne had told him in mind. _Right. _"Hermione, if it weren't for the ritual I'd probably have tied you up and taken you when I woke up next to you in the summer." She blushed and he raised a hand up to her cheek, feeling the heat radiating off of them. "The reason I'm not looking forward to them is because, well, I'm going to be incredibly distracted while performing a partly alchemical rite that could squib or kill you if I mess it up and I don't even know what a normal magical core feels like."

"You could examine mine." Hermione replied as she embraced him in a hug. "Whenever you like."

"Are you sure about this? I'm not sure what it'll feel like but I doubt it'll be pleasant." He asked her as he returned the embrace, taking in the lovely lavender scent she always had in her hair.

"Well, try it now, so we know." She teased him playfully, feeling him shift his grip and position on her shoulder before- Her mind blanked.

Hermione gasped, moaned and blushed at the same time. Shame filled her loins with heat. Oh god, that was like being naked, but far, far worse. Just... him studying _her. _Not her body, not her mind, but her very being, the deepest parts of her. _And he'd done it in a corridor were anyone could see!_

Harry looked down at the girl blushing demurely in his arms and partaking in an intense study of the floor as she shifted from foot to foot, rubbing her thighs together. But she didn't pull away so it can't have been that bad... Unless... he smiled, tilted her head upwards with a finger. His pants felt far too tight as she stood there, refusing to meet his eyes but unwilling to lower her head again. Smiling one hand reached behind her head and he pulled her up for a good long kiss.

Suffice to say when they got back to the room Daphne was less than amused at their tardiness. They still hammered out a couple of plans in amongst the witty banter and innuendo before they retired back to their dorms. Harry was the last to leave, relishing in the power he could tap into while within his domain.

How must Dumbledore feel while in Hogwarts, the energy of its keystone his to spend as he wanted. It was a scary thought. _«Lab» _He hissed in parseltongue to activate the lobby and the door swung open to his personal potions space. Cauldrons sat in the background, others simmered. In the excitement of the day he'd only had the time to set up two very important concoctions.

The egg of a viper and the egg of a grass snake submerged in different incubating solutions. It would be another two weeks before he could add the girls' hair to the potions but the result should be more than worth all the hassle and expense.

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><p><em>AN: I really enjoyed the reviews I got for the last chapter, some of which where definitely appreciated. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be with Uni starting again but it will hopefully be soon.<em>

_Any and all reviews and speculation welcome. Things are going to start heating up in the next chapter._


	10. Paper Cuts

_AN: Hail all, it's been nearly a month since the last chapter and I apologise I would blame the lack of internet for three weeks but it's an awful excuse and I know it. Thank you very, very much for the ludicrous numbers of reviews I got last chapter (~82!) and special thanks to SerpentKing for pointing out naming conventions for necrourgy. Soo many good reviews, I can't mention them all._

_You may/may not have noticed I now have a beta in the lovely form of Ceridwen Kalamack who has graciously gone back over the previous chapters and made them easier on the eyes (or mind, never quite sure which bad grammar aggravates). This is a thanks to her _:D

_Warnings: Some not-quite-smut and long chapter of long (16k words)._

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><p><strong>10. Paper Cuts<strong>

_3rd September, Great Hall_

The raucous on the other side of the great hall's oaken doors hushed as Harry stumbled through them. It seemed that nearly everyone was looking at him, down at the latest edition of the Prophet, to Dumbledore and then back to him again. The old man himself was looking... old. Or hungover. Harry wasn't quite sure which was more disturbing.

Rubbing his eyes with one hand, his other cast a ward behind his back; had he known he was going to be dealing with another of the paper's messes he would have gone to bed instead of working on that poison. "Okay, what have I supposedly done this time?" He asked with an irritated sigh. Hermione smiled at him from the table, and empty space between her and Neville beckoned to him. "Become a Dark Lord, taken over the school, unleashed a plague of deadly Flibberwots upon the world?" Luna giggled as the four tables burst out in hushed whispers and people blushed and looked away. Huh. Where was the standard denunciation, suspicious looks, glares and general 'let's hate evil Potter' attitude?

"Harry, my boy. We need to talk." Dumbledore said sternly as the crowd quietened. "Someone has been spreading lies about the two of us. Now, if we go up to my office after the feast I'm sure..."

"No." Harry stated absently. "One; I don't trust you. Two; It's Lord Black. Three..." He contemplated for a second. "Three: The professors I trust to stop you from ignoring everything I say and putting charms on me have lessons after this." He gazed at the food on the head table. "So no, I will not be going up to your office. Anything you can say to me, you can say in front of everyone else here."

"It's true then..." Someone muttered from the Ravenclaw table. "Dumbledore really did all those things?"

"Possibly," Harry sighed, "I haven't read the damn thing, but it is the Prophet so I'd be surprised if it was entirely accurate... Merlin knows they've never been before."

Dumbledore stood, demanding everyone's attention. "Enough, I'm sure this is all just false information put out by Voldemort to discredit me." He was praying (though to what, he wasn't sure) that for once in his life Harry would do the Right Thing without him there to guide his hand.

Then some blasted little Ravenclaw girl handed him a copy of the paper. Why, oh why, did the school still have a house that took the written word as gospel? He really did not want to deal with this now, Merlin knows that Gellert would have suggested invoking a sympathetic rite of destruction or some other arcane and completely useless solution to this problem. The very thought was amusing: destroying all the papers? Bah, it would just paint him in a worse light.

Wait... Was that shock on the young Potter's face? That couldn't be, could it? The Weasley's would never have talked; he was... well, reasonably certain of that and no one else had been there other than those in the room. Perhaps Granger? Too timid, same with Longbottom. Harry captured the hall's attention as he started chuckling.

"Wonders will never cease, the Sunday Prophet has printed an accurate article for a change. Though that might be because it wasn't written by Skeeter, she wouldn't use a pseudonym." He carried on reading, folding the paper over. "It misses the bit were Dumbeldore is still considered by the goblins to owe me ten thousand galleons..." He muttered, pretending to be oblivious of the reactions he was causing throughout the room.

"Then you weren't responsible for this?" Albus asked him politely as he sat down in his throne at the head table.

"I had no idea this was going to happen." The lad answered, the Dumbledore Gift finding no lie in his statement or what followed. "And I didn't do this, as much as I'd have liked too. Maybe you should look to the Weasley's or Malfoy? They were there as well, this world doesn't revolve around my actions, even if some people would like to think otherwise." He shot a glare at Snape but the Potion's Master was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice - his own copy of the paper on it's way to the Dark Lord.

Dumbledore sighed, turned and headed to his office for a day of damage control. Harry had gone and upset the applecart again... If it wasn't for that prophecy... Well, no point in crying over spilt tears. He unfolded his own copy of the paper and arranged notes, preparing argument and counter argument to fight his own way in the press, his office and the Wizengamot. If Tom wanted a war of prestige as well as his little insurgency... Dumbledore smiled as he started to read.

_3 knuts_ **The Sunday Prophet **_3__rd_ _September 1996_

**Dark Lord Dumbledore?**  
><em>An exposure of the <em>'_Leader of the Light_'_s latest crimes. By Sue de Nym._

_We all remember the universal pardon granted to Dumbledore a couple of months ago, after it was revealed that You-Know-Who had returned to the living but none of us sought to ask what crimes he used this pardon for. Well, this intrepid reporter did. You see the Ministry may not be the smartest, nor the most effective of institutions, but it adores paperwork and, should you request the criminal record of Albus I'm-A-Light-Lord,-Honest Dumbeldore you will find the results to be... disturbing. I am publishing this today as the legal institutions for clearing or sealing the record cannot be pursued until late afternoon tomorrow._

_What follows is a selection from the full list and can be verified by asking for a copy of the record from ministerial clerks:_

_-Kidnapping of the Heir of An Ancient and Most Noble House_  
><em>-Theft from an Ancient and Most Noble House<em>  
><em>-Attempted Line Theft<em>  
><em>-False Sealing of Wills<em>  
><em>-Falsely Claiming Guardianship<em>  
><em>-Theft of Artefacts, Knowledge and Lore from an Ancient and Most Noble House<em>  
><em>-Accessory to Child Abuse, Molestation &amp; Bullying<em>

_This is the real man we entrust our children to at Hogwarts, the man who has presided over the greatest decline in education standards ever recorded. An alchemist who has not once considered teaching that fabled art to others, a disturbed old man who has claimed a pardon not for speaking out against the ministry or acting against You-Know-Who but solely to cover up his abuse of the last members of House Black and Potter._

_If you don't believe me, ask the goblins. _

_Unfortunately the Boy-Who-Lived, our saviour and the new Lord Black was not available for comment. Unsurprising considering that one of Dumbledore's crimes involves the interference with the mail of a Lord. Yes, fellow wizards and witches, we finally have the reason why our letters to our saviour were never graced with a reply. Why our gifts were not greeted with so much as a thank you. Why our daughters that go to school with Him have never heard so much as a comment on the marriage contracts. Dumbledore has ensured that he never received them. In fact, judging by tales of his first year, he never even knew of our world until he arrived at the gates of Hogwarts._

_It makes me wonder how we can expect the Lord Potter-Black to hold his estates and seats on the Wizengamot without the training in politics and estate management others will have. Or whether Dumbledore intends for the Lord Potter-Black to live at all. All we have heard is rumours but a couple of students who wished to remain anonymous have confirmed several interesting facts about Harry's life:_

_1. For the first year of Hogwarts he wore clothes befitting of a beggar, often flinching when people came into physical contact with him. A sign of systematic abuse._

_2. Over his first five years at Hogwarts he has faced the following in mortal combat: A troll (first year), Slytherin's Basilisk (second year), dementors (placed by the ministry to 'protect' him but nearly devoured his soul on three occasions that we know about), a dragon, acromantula, blast ended screwt, a sphinx and several other creatures in the Tri-Wizard tournament, Inner Circle Death Eaters (on several occasions)._

_3. He claims to have encountered and defeated He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named four times in those five years._

_As nearest as we can tell, these claims are all true. Even the last, which nobody who witnessed him in the ministry earlier this year will doubt._

_How did we not realise that what we thought was an arrogant spoiled child who had grown up ignoring us with a vast fortune at his back was actually an abused child with no notion of who he is or what he represents. Thinking back on how, we, at this very paper, have treated him it would not surprise me to learn he had left the magical world for good now he has completed his OWLs (with record scores, I might add). I used to scorn those who unfavourably compared him to a Muggleborn but now it seems that he might as well have been one._

_This is not the only time the great wizarding public have been victims of Dumbledore's obsessive need for information control. It is an established fact that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is, in fact, Thomas Marvello Riddle. An Heir of Slytherin, yes, as his mother was a Gaunt, the last known Slytherin line but his father was, as far as we can tell from birth certificates and the school records of the 1940's, a muggle._

_Yes. Just like Dumbledore and Harry Potter, You-Know-Who is in fact a half-blood (at best – his mother Mereope Gaunt never attended a magical school on record with the ministry). An unpleasant reality for those who follow him in the name of magical superiority based on purity of blood._

_All of this though, seems to merely scratch the surface of the atrocities the self-proclaimed Lord of Light has performed against our society and what other secrets and lies he has manipulated for 'The Greater Good'. _

_Suffice to say, after pointing out the flaws of the two most powerful wizards of this generation, I am unwilling to put my real name in print. Or even which paper I work for._

_Until next time,_

_The-One-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named (For Their Own Good)_

**Crimes & Fines Column**

_The internal audit of Gringotts accounts appears to be continuing with no signs of slowing down or stopping. The original 'anomaly' with Hogwarts accounts, whilst probably linked to the Headmaster's crimes against the goblin nation (see front page) has resulted in an ongoing and at some points violent audit of every account connected to the institution. The list of movers and shakers who have been named as criminals this week, along with their crimes and fines is longer than last weeks:_

_Murloc Escott (Bribery, Fraud: 1,000 Galleon Fine)_  
><em>Cornelius Fudge (Bribery, Corruption, Fraud: 5,000 Galleon Fine)<em>

_As explained last week, the ministry is still trying to negotiate with the goblins for the seized money and we do not foresee criminal charges being pressed against these upstanding members of our society in the immediate future._

OoooOoooO

_The Library, Harry's Domain_

They were the last to enter their personal library at the end of dinner, people sat with piles of books and notepaper, thoroughly enjoying the marvels they were finding within those pages. Hermione left to do her own thing as he walked quietly towards Daphne, making her jump as he hugged her from behind.

"What was that for?" She asked, pouting at him as she twisted round in her chair. "You know I don't like people sneaking up on me."

"That was for the article." Harry said in her ear. "I have no idea how you got them to print it, and I probably don't want to, but that was really risky. We don't have the power to take on Dumbledore, Riddle and everyone else at the same time, or even one at a time."

"But..." She stopped as he tightened the hug.

"No buts, Daphne, work on setting us up with more allies inside and out of here, sort out who in Slytherin we can trust, but remember the school's motto '_Never tickle a sleeping dragon'. _Dumbledore could very easily have picked up on my misdirection out there. He can tell when we're lying." Daphne's eyebrows crept up in surprise. "It's his family gift."

"Damn." She muttered, hands reaching for a couple of sheets and her pen.

Harry sighed as he reached to stop her, holding her hands tenderly. "Daphne, we have until the end of the year before we need to worry about sorting all of this out, there is no need to make a bunch of plans right now. Why don't you go out and enjoy yourself, learn something new? Relax a little." He held her closer, burrowing his nose into her hair. "We won't have the time to later, Hermione's going to draft study schedules tomorrow."

"I... guess." She said eventually. "But I can't stop. Not with 'Stori and Tracey stuck down there. Malfoy's nearly the only thing keeping them in check anymore. He's a bastard, yes, but he has some intelligence. I just... want to get them and us out of there. Soon."

Harry frowned, staring off into thin air as he weighed his options and choices. "As long as they can keep our secrets, we'll be fine." He rubbed his forehead. "I made the girl's dorms larger than the boys for a good reason but I can't afford to add more rooms and bathrooms, not unless we can tap more power from somewhere." He looked wryly at his spymaster. "We also need Blaise to work out the House changing charm as soon as possible."

The tension left Daphne's body, relaxing into his. They made a good fit before Harry tensed up beside her. "Thank you." She murmured, enjoying herself a little.

Harry gave her another quick squeeze and stepped back, fidgeting slightly. "Erm, all you had to do was ask. I'm just going to go and tell Padma that her sister has the same offer... If she's willing to learn Occlumency and keep her mouth shut." He looked down at the floor for a little bit, Daphne smirked as he tried to subtly adjust his trousers. "We always have each other."

"Thanks Harry." She yelled after him as he strode off.

"Thank me after you've talked to me later, you might want to hex me after that." He shot back and she turned back to her notes and half-formed plans, crossing through most of them. Even though she loved 'Stori she should never have risked them to produce an article that demonised Riddle and Dumbledore and promoted Harry. It practically gave the game away and they were just a bunch of students.

Then again... Oh hell. Now that she wasn't so uneasy she was almost vibrating from the sense of awe and wonder that her coven sisters were embracing. Daphne figured that plans could wait, she'd see what sort of things she could find instead. This library did have entire section on mind the arts...

OoooOoooO

Peeves picked his jaw off the floor and reattached it to his mouth. He was in the presence of a gleeful, sadistic, master of the art! The bludger slammed back into Goyle, ricocheted into Crabbe and back towards him. Peeves flexed his will and the bat swung. Malfoy got a bludger to the arse, sending him flying straight into Goyle, looking like a clingy Parkinson who'd had her rear smacked. The poltergeist snickered.

"That has to be ten points!" Peeves cried gleefully, expecting a camera flash. The wasn't one. His hairy little, definitely-not-a-house-elf, friend wasn't there. His stomach sunk slowly through his waist.

"PEEVES!" Snape bellowed behind him. Where there was Snape, there was the Baron. And he had a sword. Deciding that discretion was indeed the better part of valour, he blew the teacher a raspberry and fled through the floor to their pre-arranged meeting point.

"Sorry I is not warning you about Dungeon Bat, but I was having to get into elf tunnels." Dobby said with a sad smile as his conspirator-in-arms floated through the wall.

"Not a problem, not a problem at all..." The ghost grinned maniacally. "So... who do you think is next? Hufflepuff? Gryffindor perhaps? Maybe we can go for the old man himself!" Peeves flew round in circles his eyes glinting like malicious gems. "So many ideas, so little time..."

"You remember our agreement, don't you?" The House Elf asked suspiciously.

Peeves waved him off. "Of course, of course. We do have the rest of the school to prank, you know. It's a dire shame we can't make it into the dungeons. Oh the revelry that would ensue. Now, I was thinking..." Both of their eyes sparkled in the torch light as identical grins split across their faces.

OoooOoooO

"Severus, why do three of our youngest Initiates look like they have been in a fist-fight with a bunch of mudbloods?" Lord Voldemort demanded of his favourite minion.

"The ghost Peeves, my Lord, he somehow managed to retrieve bludgers from the Quidditch pitch and set them on them. I claimed that I would treat them in my quarters to give them an alibi for your summons." Severus tried desperately to keep the nervousness out of his voice as he struggled to keep his Occlumency walls focused and upright.

The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed and his voice was harsh as he spoke. "I see, and you have cast the ward I gave you over the Slytherin dorms?"

Severes nodded. "I attempted to, my Lord. I am unfamiliar with the spell and principles involved though, so I cannot be certain if it is acting as it is supposed to." The Dark Lord nodded.

"I have faith in you Severus, who else among my followers can cast a Patronus? The one piece of Spirit magic and Necrourgy that Dumbledore permits in his school." The Dark Lord sighed. "It requires a certain level of connection to your magical essence, much like the true Dark Arts do. That is the reason we must recruit the young, so that they can reach their full power with their Majority." He paused and frowned, the subject drawing too close to the matter at hand. "But I digress. Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy." The Dark Lord repeated, turning his attention to the prostate purebloods beneath him. How great the founder's blood must have been to put them beneath him, as dilute as it ran in his veins. A bastard, disowned line of Hufflepuff's ran in Dumbledore, which was what made him such a threat. Potter, heir of an old family of wanderers bred thin with muggles, was simply deluding himself by believing he was a valid player in their game.

"Yes, my Lord?" The quivering brat brought Voldemort's attention back to him.

"How goes your progress in acquiring the mudblood whore?" He asked sharply, Nagini tasting the rich scent of the boys fear.

"We believe we can get her out of the castle using Snape's floo, but separating her from her friends is proving to be difficult. She hasn't been seen anywhere without Potter by her side." Draco all but spat out the last few words. There it was again, the idea that Potter was anything other than a pawn that favoured him, Lord Voldemort. He snorted at the idiocy of the idea as the brat continued. "I believe that, should we delay our plan until the day before the mudblood's majority we could... pretend that the modifications you will make to her are a result of that; then the Light side won't question them or our sudden 'change' of heart."

"My, my..." The Dark Lord said softly as he stood from his throne in Malfoy Manor, "It appears you have had quite the plan, Draco. Being enamoured with the whore seems to have brought out the best in you." The boy spluttered and protested but he ignored him. "It almost excuses your failure to inform me that Potter and Dumbledore are at each others throats!" He snarled, throwing the paper in front of the boys face. "You were at that trial, heard what was going to happen and you leave me to find out from a paper!" Voldemort started pacing. "Whoever planted this article covered their tracks far too well. No one in the Prophet has any memory of writing it or casting the powerful confundus that caused them to print it. Need I tell you how much of a risk this is to us? We cannot afford an unknown opponent right now."

"I... I'm sorry my Lord, I... I didn't realise..." The teen blabbered as his anger roared to the surface, slashing at his control. It was the peril of being a warlock, to _feel_more and faster than any other mortal man. Like the peril of the necrourge and shaman was to disconnect from reality, and the peril of the wizard was to over think everything and anything until they sat on a tower and did nothing.

"You failed me Draco. You know what I do to people who fail me." The boy blustered some more, but Voldemort could not have cared less. "_Crucio._" It was sweet, sweet ecstasy. Each jab of pain the scum suffered was a loving tingle of pleasure across his body that scratched that lovely dark itch he had.

Voldemort was an addict and he _loved_it. It made him stronger than everyone else, because they were addicted to something and most of them had no idea what it was they obsessed over so much.

Take Dumbledore, for instance. He was constantly hoarding information, knowledge and vital spells. The old fool had yet to realise that just as knowledge was the main source of his power, it was also his vice. A vice that he too shared. He knew precisely who had written the article in that paper – the one faction who had power and knowledge enough to pursue this agenda but couldn't actively work against him.

The Department of Mysteries.

What, he wondered, were his old colleagues getting up to this time?

OoooOoooO

Hannah was sitting at the end of one of the tables, making notes from a book Harry couldn't look at directly. Her mousy blond hair was sprinkled with tufts, though her uniform seemed as pristine as ever. Pulling a chair out from the table beside her, he sat down. She had bags under her eyes, and her skin held a palid, waifish look to it.

"Sleeping okay?" She snapped out of her studies, shook her head, blinked and looked at him.

"As well as to be expected." She said with a weak smile. "Susan's still has the occasional nightmare, so I try and share them with her, to make it easier."

"Good, she's always welcome to stay up here if living behind wards makes her feel better." Harry smiled back at her. "But it doesn't explain why you haven't been eating much."

"How did you..." She blushed. "I guess I look bad then?"

"Just a little thin." Harry said with a chuckle, and Hannah peaked through her fringe towards him. "You need to take better care of yourself you know. The addiction's not bothering you any more?" She shook her head.

"It's really faint now. I still get emotional at times but it's like there's a buffer there now. Besides, as long as everyone else is near, I'm fine." She shrugged.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. "We thought the same about the Dark Arts and look what happened then. I don't believe having a Necromancer is worth you suffering whatever casting these spells might do to you."

"You don't have to worry about me Harry." Hannah replied weakly. "I'll tell you if it gets too much, or if I want to stop - at the moment it's fine. Worry about Padma, she's been getting it really hard from a lot of people."

"I know, I've already talked to her and she's going to be staying in here for the foreseeable future. I wish it wasn't necessary but... we just don't have any alternatives right now. If Daphne and Blaise living here wouldn't paint a giant target on their backs I'd order them to sleep up here as well. This castle isn't the safest place in the world for any of us." Hannah's hand reached out to touch his. It was nice gesture and he smiled back at her, holding her slightly cold palm against his own.

"We'll survive, we always do." She said softly.

"Yeah, I know. Enough morbidity, how is the necromancy going?" Hannah snorted and he grinned.

"That was bad Harry, really bad. Besides, it's not necromancy, technically. In these tomes, necromancy is the art of summoning the dead to tell you about the past or glimpses of the future." Harry's eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about it Harry." She said quickly. "I could call them for a minute or two, maybe. But the dead want to stay dead. They're in a better place." She shivered. "And I will never try and bring them back all the way; Ghouls, wraiths... souls trapped beyond their time, they're not... them any more, if you see what I mean. I don't know if it's really them to start with."

"Really, then what about ghosts?" He asked and she looked away, she hadn't seen the Friar since last time but being observed was troubling.

"Ghosts never really left, but even then they're not really here either." She started sketching a diagram, a blob and a vaguely humanoid shape. "Look, this is the soul. It's the part of you that can directly channel magic, your essence. Kind of. Because life itself also generates magic, or something. I have no idea how emotions fit into this, but they must do somewhere. Possibly relating to planes or the places magical creatures get their abilities from... or something." Harry blinked.

"So what you're trying to say is that our souls are what make us. Us, for want of a better word, and they act as the central foci for magic of all forms."

"Yes, but they don't hold things like memories. Or... feelings, really. The House ghosts ask the same questions again and again. Discuss the same problems with Peeves again, and again never really caring that they've done it before. It's why in necrourgy, what most non-magicals would call necromancy now, the vessel or body you anchor the spirit or energy to is so important. If it can't store a memory, the spirit can't either. Destroy the anchor and the spirit drifts on, forgetting why it's here in the first place. Ghosts get around that by using ectoplasm powered by magic they suck from around them."

"So Riddle has made soul anchors..." Hannah shrugged.

"Not necessarily," She looked at Harry with a wry smile. "Practising emotional or spiritual magic... changes you a little every time you cast it. Use enough death magic and your body might not notice it's stopped working." She shrugged. "At least, I think that's how it might work. I have no idea what's going to happen to you though."

"Me?" Harry asked with a bit of surprise.

"Patroni are necromantic invocations of protection, calling upon the soul of one of the deceased... I don't know how happiness or love fits into it, or why they drive off dementors because that bit of the formula goes right over my head but the origin of the spell is clear." She looked down. "With no practice with soul magic, in third year, when your core and soul hadn't yet matured you created a patronus powerful enough to drive off a hundred dementors. If you die, I really doubt there's going to be anything normal about it, assuming you stay dead in the first place."

"Ah." They both fell silent for a moment before Harry shook himself out of it. "Well, there are worse things that could happen."

"I guess." Hannah continued, staring back down at her diagram. "Right, erm, yes, soul. This is the body, while it is linked to the soul there's an exchange of power from one to the other. Just as the soul links emotions and provides... substance to the body, the body provides memories, intellect and other powers. You can't permanently alter one without permanently altering the other as well." Their eyes met across the table.

"So the ritual you want me to do." Harry said slowly. "It's going to cause physical changes as well?"

"I hadn't thought of it like that, but I guess it might?" Hannah looked a little sheepish. "I can't see it being more than the veela ones."

"Great." Harry muttered to himself. "As if reintroducing magical races of snake weren't enough, I'll be making new species of magical human as well." His eyes swept across the other girls speculatively, focusing for a moment on Daphne and Hermione as they went over a page of notes. Why did it have to be those two first? It was callous of him, he knew that but he couldn't help wishing one of the others would be first. Hermione looked up, caught his stare and blushed to her roots.

"Hey." Hannah nudged him in the side. "Did you want me to explain the rest of this, or not." Harry looked back down at her notes and gestured for her to continue.

Hermione looked down at the floor as Daphne nudged her in the ribs. "He was looking at us, he knows..."

"Well, if you hadn't decided to be _very _specific, we'd have finished by now." Daphne muttered as she counted the number of pages. "Look, it's going to be easier for me to just rewrite this from scratch."

"It's not my fault this sort of thing isn't easy to research." Hermione whined without looking up. "You can't just walk into a library and ask for this kind of thing."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "But you can walk down Knockturn Alley for it, it's not like it's dark magic just... not socially acceptable. Are you really sure you want to do this?" Daphne asked with a sly look down the table. "If you can't even talk to him about it, how do you plan on coping if he wants you to wear a collar, or other people find out about it and start looking down on you because of it?"

"I..." Hermione blushed, shuffling in her seat. "I... don't know." She fingered her neck nervously. "I'll just... cope with it. I guess." Her hand clenched empty air aside as she lowered her hand. "All I know is that I need him and he needs me."

"So if I said that the price for my help and advice was to put another name down next to Harry's would you agree with me?" Daphne asked hesitantly.

Hermione looked away. "Depends on who it was. There aren't many people that I trust this much." She bit the bottom of her lip nervously. "It's not just about trust either, I care about him. I need to help him and... and..." Hermione jumped as Daphne's hand encircled her wrist. Their eyes met as a spark of apprehension was exchanged for a splattering of nervous fear.

"Do you care about me that much?" The blond asked. Hermione's heart did little somersault as her mind worked out what she was asking. The bond dragged Daphne's emotions with it before happiness trickled down and settled their nerves. "I guess that answers that question."

"But why?" Hermione asked softly. "I thought... I mean I'm not a lesbian. I don't fantasize about being with girls or well, I didn't." She blushed again as Daphne chuckled.

"I read a psychology book about what non-magicals call Pavlovian conditioning. The more doing something makes you feel good you more likely you are to repeat it and me touching you does that because of the coven bond. Besides, both me and Harry are dominants and we're going to want a submissive in bed at some point. Now, do we have a deal?" Daphne asked, leaning in to the other girls personal space.

"Yes." Hermione said, cheeks aflame as she remembered the train. Daphne raised an eyebrow and waited. "Mistress." Hermione finished quietly.

There was a crack and they jumped apart. "Winky is remindings you that you hasn't eaten yet and that the lesson be in an hour." She put a plate down in front of both of them as a bit of elf magic pushed the papers away. "Books will still be here when you get back. So eat."

House elves were very good at looking after their Master and his family, even if they had to glare at them to do it. Winky had to have been a very naughty elf for former-master-Crouch to get rid of her. She wasn't going to mess this up by letting new Master's living possessions starve themselves either. Not when she'd failed so badly last time with former-master's son.

OoooOoooO

_The Great Hall_

The sixth years slowly filtered down to the Great Hall, taking the presented seating near the front as the other large tables had seemingly vanished for this lecture. Ron Weasley stopped in the doorway, how dare they take his table? Even if they'd dropped the loony and the snake, Hufflepuffs and 'Claws should stick to their own blasted tables, no one needed know-it-alls in Gryffindor, look how Hermione turned out until him and Harry had taken pity on the ungrateful bookworm.

"If you take a seat Mr. Weasley we can get this started." Professor McGonagall snapped from behind him. "We're already late due to your tardiness."

"Indeed, Ten points from Gryffindor for delaying the rest of the year unduly." Snape drawled from the front of the hall. "Still not moving Weasley?" The Slytherin students laughed. "Well, maybe I'd better make it-"

"But there's no space left on the table!" He yelled.

"Five points for interrupting a teacher." Snape said with no real haste. "And a further five points for stating the obvious, were you not here yesterday when Potter decided to illuminate us on the fallacy of seating arrangements? You would have thought he'd have better things to do, but then you all thought Lockhart was impressive at one point."

McGonagall's hand squeezed his shoulder and pushed him towards the open space on the Ravenclaw table. Mumbling darkly under his breath he chose a seat next to some girl who was staring at the Gryffindor table, petite hands formed into pale fists. He followed her gaze. They had the nerve to sit there, doing homework and... and sniggering! It's like Potter and his friends didn't know that they were destroying centuries of important tradition! "Arrogant twat." He spat.

"I could not agree more." The Ravenclaw at his side said softly as Professor McGonagall went to stand with the other heads of Houses and Madam Pomfrey at the front of the hall.

"Welcome back to what will be the most important year of your magical education." She announced without preamble, the hall fell silent. "I will be perfectly clear with you, this is only time in your magical education where we bring an entire year group together for a single class." She stared over the various houses, checking that their attention was fixed firmly on her. "For we have brought you all together for a short lecture on your coming of age in the magical world."

"Now, whilst I am certain that some of you," she nodded in the direction of Ravenclaw and Slytherin, "will already be aware of this, some of you will not. In the wizarding world coming of age is not something that can be taken lightly, for on that date your magic will finally mature into it's final form, unlocking latent abilities, bloodline powers and increasing your reservoir of mystical energy. Without this maturity you will find some of NEWT level work exceedingly challenging." Someone started sniggering. "Something like to share with the rest of us, Mister Malfoy?"

"Not really Professor." The blond Slytherin replied with a fiendish grin, glancing over to the Gryffindor table. "I was Just remembering the birthday of one our favorite celebrities and it's significance for this year." He drawled. Harry just sighed.

"Speak for yourself, I am more than certain that everyone here will succeed if they put in the required amount of work." Minerva stated firmly. "Back to the subject at hand, every student, on the day of their Majority, is excused from all classes, spellcasting, detentions and potion brewing. Performing or being affected by any magic during this period is exceedingly dangerous and using magic on someone during their Majority is also highly illegal due to the possible of such magic being integrated into the person's essence. I knew one girl in my year who used a simple shaving charm on her seventeenth birthday and has to wear a wig for the rest of her life. Remember that." She glared at the various Gryffindors spread across the tables.

"Now, a word on Bloodline gifts." She paused. "My apologies to the Muggleborn but your blood simply isn't strong enough for this to occur. As for the rest of you, many will find yourselves gaining an additional skill, ability or affinity from your Majority as the blood of your ancestors ignites in your veins. I strongly advise talking to you parents about the abilities you are likely to possess." She paused to let that sink in.

Ron tried to glare at Hermione, the ire in his eyes turning into a confused stare. The long held champion of muggleborn rights was not concerned, frothing at the mouth or complaining about the Professors assumptions. She just sat there, scribbling away at a parchment and ignoring the rest of the world. It was so out of character that Ron nearly turned and ran right then; that lazy smile she had across her face was like Crookshanks had had every time it looked at scabbers. She was like a pawn staring at the end of the board and thinking 'I'm going to be a Queen.' That was just wrong... pawns always got taken before that happened.

"Headmaster Dumbledore has asked me to tell you that his door is always open for anyone who wants to talk about or unsure of abilities they might have gotten from their Majority. He is also willing to act as a certifier for those who you who may find yourselves in possession of a gift neither of you parents have, granting your family the status of Ancient House." The Professor continued idly. Pomona and Filius exchanged a knowing glance.

"You should of course come to your Head of House before disturbing Dumbledore, he is a very busy man." Flitwick announced glad that the Headmaster had been called away by the board to 'discuss' this mornings article.

"Of course." Pomona supported him quickly. Snape also got in on the act.

"I believe that was implied." He drawled. Minerva swallowed nervously.

"Well..." She wet her lips, stared at the opposite wall for a bit and then stared back down at the notes she was carrying. "Moving on..." She started talking about the importance of reaffirming your commitment to Magical Britain and your ties with others. It made very good propaganda, but Hermione had a very interesting rune problem in front of her, Harry to lean into and no real distractions. Life was good and she was home.

OoooOoooO

_8th September - Practice Room, Harry's Domain_

A miniature twister swirled around Harry, caressing his hair and billowing his long coat as he smirked. Muttering something under his breath. The girls yelped, covering their ears and blinking after a jagged bolt of pale blue lightning etched into their eyesight. Splinters of the training dummy peppered them as they were blown away by Harry's cyclone.

"Some days I get the feeling that magic isn't really designed for this kind of thing." He muttered as he turned to face them. "Sorry, I've been trying to get that spell working all week. I'm not even sure it's a properly crafted spell as even with a mostly intent based casting it's still twelve syllables long."

"It's very impressive though." Hermione tried, sharing a nervous look with Daphne.

"But fundamentally useless, it takes too much energy for what it is and can be blocked by a conjured teddy bear." Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair before wiping some of the sweat from his forehead. "At least the windshield works, so I can teach you that in a week or two. It's impressive enough to give any wizard that doesn't recognise it as a spell second thoughts." He shrugged. "Anyhow, what have I done to drag you two from the library? I didn't think we'd covered anything too radical in the three subjects we're doing now." He smiled to take the sting out of it, conjuring a towel to wipe himself down.

"Have you had time to read the books I gave you yet?" Daphne asked tentatively, Harry's blush was all the answer she needed. "Well, we're here to talk about that."

"Ah." He said, shifting slightly. "Shall we move this somewhere more comfortable? _Exit._" Letting them go into the lobby first, he tried to get his own response under control. This was it. The first book he'd been given by Daphne had made him nervous; '_A Slave's Companion' _was a... guide to Hermione's side of the equation and he thought he could understand what she wanted now, mostly. The level of trust she must have in him had shaken him to the core.

Harry James Potter had lived ten years of his life were trust, love and all sorts of other things didn't exist in the way most 'normal' people acknowledged them. He had _trusted _yes, in the same way a rat trusts the cat will eat it if it makes a mistake. Hermione trusted him enough to give her life to him. Trusted him to to take care of her, look after her and punish her if she strayed or idled from what they both wanted her to do. It was a chilling amount of responsibility that he wasn't sure he wanted.

A very nervous Harry had reached for the second book. One night of very little sleep and the teenage male inside of him was very, very interested. A little too interested. He hadn't even been able to consider examining the girls magical cores since without some form of rope or restraint involved. This entire relationship would be based on trust, it might be something she took for granted but if he did this... she could never lie to him or hide things from him unless he specifically ordered her not to tell. Harry closed his eyes as he stepped into the cool air of his domain's Lobby and transport hub.

_«Master Bedroom» _He hissed as Daphne idly traced the fern Neville had put in as a place holder. The training room closed and another opened.

"How many secret rooms do you have here?" Daphne asked as she peered into the newly opened suite, Hermione fidgeting behind her.

"Just four, my private lab, the keystone, the ritual room and this one." Harry turned his emerald eyes on the you women this was all for. She blushed and looked down at the ground, hands held nervously behind her back. "I expected you to ask that question." Hermione gave him a quick shy look through her hair before looking back at Daphne, who raised an eyebrow.

"Okay." Harry ventured as he led them into the as yet unused chamber. As they entered, the illusion of an ordinary room shifted into that of a circular room in which everything but the outside walkway was obscured by a thin silken veil. The inside was a sunken, soft bowl layered with soft silk and sprinkled with blankets, pillows and cushions in varying shades of tan and silver. "Yeah, it's a giant bed." Harry's voice broke the girls out of their stunned silence. "Not pulled out of harem novels or anything...Doors one and two are bathrooms, I'm going to go use one to shower as I stink. Oh, and no shoes on the bed. Winky doesn't clean in here." Walking round them, Harry slipped through one of the three doors at the side: a nice cold shower was exactly what he needed right now.

Both girls looked at each other, but silent communication only went so far. "You can talk you know." Daphne tried hesitantly. Hermione nodded and she sighed, walking towards the young brunette, tenderly tilting her chin up and kissing her softly, her hands reaching forward to pull Hermione's up behind her back.

"Did... did you change your lipstick?" Hermione blurted out as she tried to pull away. A difficult thing to do when your arms are pinned behind your back and another person was holding you off balance. Damn it, skin to skin contact. She needed to be nervous, not tingly. She lipped her lips again, tasting the cherry-flavoured lipstick and hot breath tickled at her throat. The brief touch of Daphne against her skin left her disappointed.

"I told you," Daphne breathed a little huskily. "There is no need to be nervous. I know what I'm doing and Harry wants us."

"But he didn't say anything..." Hermione tried to protest.

"He looked nervous heading into the bathroom. Cold shower." Daphne smirked. "Now, he's going to need us naked with the ritual so... I hope you're wearing something sexy under that?" Hermione bit her lip again. "I figured you would and we've got a nice large bed to lounge in, so get to it." Their breath was getting short and Hermione was beginning to squirm again.

"Erm, you need to let me go first. Mistress." Daphne did so, stepping back and running a hand through her own shimmering tresses. It was one thing to let go to help a friend, it was another to lose control enough to forget that you were pinning your friend against you whilst on the verge of using a stripping charm.

"Right, sorry about that. I'll..." She looked towards where Harry had said the other bathroom was and spotted a third. "You get ready and make yourself comfortable, I'll be back in a sec." Leaving Hermione to cool off behind her she threw some magic over her own feelings and smothered them in calm. The third door opened swiftly to her touch and her breath hitched. It wasn't a bathroom. It was a dungeon.

Lending those books to Harry had been a brilliant idea. This was still the Room of Requirements, and teenage boys had requirements. In fact, so did the girls. Dahpne grinned as she started pulling off her robes, once the three of them had 'talked' this was going to be fun. She just had to grab a few things first...

Harry towelled down his hair, relishing in it's warmth. That had been one fucking freezing bout of water at the end, so cold he'd had to shove power into his Occlumency to stop himself from screaming; locking down his emotions as a very deliberate side effect. Now he'd sorted out his nerves it was a matter of checking himself in the mirror, applying a bit of combing to his hair so it didn't look like a bird had nested in it and out to face the pair of young nubile women.

The door creaked open, showing no one in the corridor but he felt one of his girls on the bed and another in a room behind him, Daphne using the loo or something. Brushing soft silk aside he stopped dead in his tracks. Hermione had made herself a bed of pillows and was squirming delectably in pearly black lace. Reaching down to shift his pants, Harry decided then and there that he wasn't as good an Occlumens as he thought he was. That and he needed some very soft rope, possibly silk since he'd mastered the untying charm, some oil and... err. The massage book. It was nearly a month till he could do more. Very nearly a month...

Hazel eyes met Emerald and he licked his lips. Her eyes slid behind him and widened; so, she'd just noticed Daphne was behind him, had she? The smile on his lips widened as he extended a hand back for her to take.

Daphne eyed the hand warily, silently begging him to turn round. He knew she was there didn't he? So he must have warded that room or something and knew that she'd been a complete idiot with the stuff he'd left lying around. There weren't many charms Harry could have mastered in that time and she'd blundered right into them. Now he was extending a hand for her, waiting for a hand to take or... a leash, or... Daphne could feel the heat all over her as she contemplated her options, Hermione's gaze drawing out every little curve of her body. She did the only thing she could - submitted.

Harry felt the wand being dropped into his palm and froze. Giving someone your wand was nearly sacrilege in wizarding society, to a pureblood it wasn't the tool the first-generation mages treated it as. Daphne was the woman who'd taught him all of this; the only thing more severe would have been if she'd given him her virginity. He spun.

She was looking at the floor, arms behind her back. Acting like a demure princess wearing a few racy scraps of azure cloth that he knew would be the same colour as her eyes. "Daphne?" He asked with concern, this wasn't like her at all. There was a clash of black against her hair. "Oh shit." He swore, "Look at me Daphne." She didn't, but she didn't walk away. So he reached out and tilted her head up with his fingers.

The beginning of tears welled at the corners of glistening eyes as rose tinted cheeks flamed an even deeper red. Stark crimson lips, the lipstick faintly smudged, were pursed around a plain black ball gag that cut across her face and pulled her lovely blonde hair tight across her skin. Harry's latest wet dream had involved her submitting willingly to him but she never would. He focused his intent carefully.

"_Denudio._" The charm holding the strap in place severed and the ball flung from her mouth. Licking dry lips Daphne plowed into his shoulder, the damp soaking through his shirt. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Harry muttered. "I was practicing the capture charm last night and completely forgot. I never meant to..." He rubbed her back soothingly, spying the handcuffs that locked her hands behind her back and had prevented her from pointing her wand at them or the gag. He cast the charm again, sending them cluttering to the floor. Her arms sneaked around his waist and Hermione hugged her from the other side.

"Why are you crying?" The bookworm asked once the emotional storm calmed down. She'd felt the wave of confusion, fear and relief, but Harry needed to hear her reasons or he might start blaming himself.

"I've never submitted before." Daphne said softly. "I just didn't know what to expect and I didn't really want to."

"You looked scared." Harry said softly, letting her go. "And that scared me."

Looking almost a little lost Daphne took a step back and her hands went to adjust robes she wasn't wearing. "Right, we should get on with what we were going to do, it must be curfew by now." She looked nervously at Harry. Relaxing when he nodded. She wasn't a switch damn it! Just a little unsettled. "It's in my bag. Hermione can explain things." Daphne turned and slunk off to clear her head. Harry's eyes burnt a trail down her back before she ducked under the veil.

"Can I ask a question?" Hermione asked softly, biting her lip.

"Always, you wouldn't be you if you didn't." Harry gently lowered himself to the floor with an exasperated smile, starting to rub the aches from his muscles.

"What happened to Daphne?" She knelt down beside him and started with his other leg. Combined with the scent of her hair- he focused on the question.

"Daphne gave me a couple of books on bondage and domination and I thought that, if you were serious, I should at least know some of the more common spells." Her eyes widened. "One of them is an old quick-dressing charm that doesn't quite work properly; it basically puts things in the right place, tightens them and then sticks them to your skin, which is a problem if your clothes aren't supposed to be skintight. Make that into an enchantment and voila, a pair of handcuffs or a gag that'll put itself tightly on you if you pick it up or knock into it." He shrugged. "Think _incarcerous_but with an item of clothing instead of conjured ropes. She was probably planning on using them on you and forgot to check for charms."

Hermione blushed and started working on his feet. "Got it." Daphne said with a smile, ducking under the veil with a smile on her face. "Just so you know Harry, there are no magical enchantments on this, no penalties for breaking any of the clauses. They're essentially guidelines."

"Good." He said firmly. "Anything else would be slavery, this way it's more of a declaration of intent. Shall we look over it?" Daphne passed it in his direction and he started looking through it. It wasn't what he was expecting, short and to the point, laying out what she was expecting from him and what he could expect in return. Warning and safe words were _orange_ and _red_. Then there was the unnecessary restriction clause: _The Master shall not lend nor order his Slave to engage in sexual or personal acts with any other than the following: Daphne Greengrass. _If she signed this, he could happily call Hermione _his_. God help anyone who thought he was willing to let her be with anyone else, because he wouldn't.

As the dominant Harry signed first, handing it and the quill to the nervous young woman behind him. "Are you certain you want to do this, you can always pull out later..." Hermione skimmed through the contract again, years of habit making her double check every condition they'd worked out. The quill sped across the parchment as she signed her name.

Leaving it for Daphne to sign as a witness, Harry wasted no time in dragging the brunette towards him and kissing her thoroughly. Panting, they came up for air. She fit perfectly against his body as she leant into his shoulder, the happiest she'd been for a long time. "What now... master?"

"Now..." Harry growled. "Oh to hell with it, I'll find that charm tomorrow, now turn over." Calling on the room through the sigil on his palm a jar of scented oil materialised in his palm while he used his wand to summon the manual he had.

Blushing to her roots, Hermione couldn't comply fast enough.

"Best present I've ever given to either of them." Daphne whispered to herself as she slunk away through the door. The girls would be in for an awkward but very relaxing evening.

OoooOoooO

_9__th_ _September, A small house East of Surrey_

Amy Williams stared at the her latest job rejection. No one wanted someone who couldn't account for seven years of their life doing apparently nothing, spent two years in college at the age of twenty-one and finished her second University degree at the age of twenty-eight. As it stood, studying magic had turned out to be the worst thing she could have done.

Seven Outstanding NEWTs, a prefect badge in Hufflepuff and not a single guild had considered her as an apprentice. She'd then expressed her disgust at being offered a secretarial position with the Ministry based on an old man's leering instead of the field position she'd deserved and been blacklisted. So it had been back to the real world. Still, she'd applied again to Gringotts and the guilds. Any work at all would be a godsend at the moment.

An owl tapped on the council flat's window. Trembling hands opened the Gringotts stamped parchment and another letter fell out.

_'Madame Williams, _

_We at Gringotts regret to inform you that, due to your blacklisting at the Ministry we are currently unable to employ you in our muggleborn relations department. We have, however, taken the liberty to forward your details on to another interested party. We hope this is agreeable to you._

_Nosegrip_  
><em>Junior Clark'<em>

The feel of parchment between her fingers brought back nostalgic memories as she dropped it for the other letter, written on normal paper with shimmering black ink. She could almost feel the magic radiate off of it as it opened.

_'Dear Miss Williams,_

_My apologies if this letter brings back bad memories about the wizarding world, as many of the first-generation wizards and witches have after being dismissed for lacking proper connections. Our friends in Gringotts have informed us that you can claim both a degree in Mathematics and a degree in Chemistry, this combined with your excellent scores in Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Potions has convinced us that they were, to put things bluntly, blind fools for letting such a talent fall by the wayside._

_As such I am writing to offer you the post of Lead Researcher on one of a number of projects Althric Artifice is willing to sponsor. They will most likely involve a combination of spellcrafting, potion design and refinement, specific forms of enchanting or alchemy, depending on where your talents lie. We may also need you to teach incoming staff and some of the senior staff on occasion due to your advanced non-magical education._

_If you accept this offer we will provide you with a workspace and self-study materials to get you acquainted with the necessary skills we will require along with some of our theories and practices. We would also provide you with a salary of ten galleons a week and cheap accommodation near your place of work. If this does not sound like much, please consider that the exchange rate used by Gringotts is based on the eighteenth century gold standard. We aim to offer an equivalent level of pay in non-magical currency if we can establish ourselves in non-magical fields as well._

_Unfortunately, due to the experimental nature of our products and the prejudices of the current government a magical vow of secrecy and loyalty will be required at our first evaluation meeting should you wish to accept this offer. You will be free to decline with no penalties or hard feelings at this point._

_Please reply with any questions, refusal or acceptance via Owl to Daphne Greengrass or via the post service to POBox 41123, London Sorting Office, SE24 7BN_

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Daphne Greengrass_  
><em>Vice-President of Althric Artifice.'<em>

"I thought you were through with all that magical nonsense?" Her mother asked with a disdainful sneer at the parchment lying on the floor.

"Not when it offers me a job and a place to stay, I'm not." Amy said, grinning happily up at her mum. "It's not that I don't like staying with you, I'm just a little to old for this. I've been offered a job as lead researcher on a project of my choice."

"They do research in the magical world?" She asked with a bit of shock. "I thought you said they were a _'bunch of backward bigots who kept it in the family and needed a map to find their arse'_?"

"I was drunk at the time." Amy tried to state in her defence. "I need to find my wand, and my old textbooks. I do not want to look like an idiot when I start work."

OoooOoooO

_3 knuts_ **The Sunday Prophet **_10__th_ _September 1996_

**Dumbledore Speaks!**  
><em>By Alicia Nevergarde<em>

_Since last weeks article on the Headmaster of Hogwarts' pardon and his various activities we have been inundated with howlers, denunciations, letters of congratulations and everything in between. Several of you pointed out that one person's view had not been solicited nor sought. This week I managed to correct that, securing an audience with our dear Supreme Mugwump, Albus Dumbledore. _

_Now my regular readers will know that I am on friendly terms with the Leader of the Light and suspect me of bias. There is no real argument I can use to refute that other than guarantee that the following conversation was taken straight from my quill as we met for working lunch on Friday:_

"_The first question I have to ask for our readers is, of course, are the allegations raised last week true?" I asked after we had ordered and the server had left the privacy barriers, Dumbledore looked pained at the question and took a few moments before he began his answer._

"_Unfortunately, yes." He started with. "I did indeed do most of the things I have been blamed for and I heartily wish they had not been necessary but at the time and to this very day I believe that it was the best course of action for all of us." He paused, staring off into the distance. "You may not know this but Lord Voldemort, as a young boy had no choice but to grow up in a muggle orphanage and I, constrained by law and the peoples morality had little choice but to leave him there. Now though, I wonder if, had I bent the laws a little, rescued him from a place where he was feared and bullied, the last thirty years would never have happened? It was those times, I believe that turned him in to who he is today."_

_He sighed, frowning at something only he saw. "Now imagine how I felt all those years ago, Harry in the crib before me; his mother dead, his father killed in a most disgusting way. The boy had survived a killing curse and I could feel the potential in him. This was not just another wizard before me, so I could not risk our world having to face another Voldemort or Grindelwald. If he had grown up amongst our society, reading the tales written about himself, he would not be the same loveable boy that those who know him find, so I could not leave him here. Instead I entrusted him to his relatives where he would be cared for and loved, to become an ordinary person. I would not __make the same mistakes I had with Riddle with this boy."_

"_And the guardianship and the money?" I had to ask even if his reasoning was sound._

_Dumbledore looked away from me at that, staring despondently at the ground. "I am not proud of what I did in those days, very few of us are. If I had to falsely claim guardianship in order to stop him from becoming a Malfoy, or hounded by the press or the goblins..." He shrugged. "Then it is what I had to do; you'll find that a lot of my supposed crimes are just me acting in my young charge's interests as well as I could without showing overt favouritism. I set up mail wards to ensure he could not be tracked or abducted, or intentionally harmed by a delivery."_

_I will admit that what I did was not entirely selfless, but then who is. I believed that by searching the vaults I had access too, along with his family history and magics that I might have been able to duplicate whatever miracle rebounded the killing curse on Riddle. Can you imagine that, Alicia? To never fear the killing curse again?" His eyes bore into mine, the passion with which he spoke was almost unnerving._

"_It would be wonderful yes, but why didn't you publish or ask others for their assistance?"_

"_Because what I did was illegal and the books and vaults I needed to access locked up by the goblin's side of the treaty so even the ministry, if they had broken their own laws, could not have helped. Ultimately though, I traced the spell used to the Potter grimoire and there it will stay until either Harry or his descendant sees fit to release it to the public. I was rather disappointed at that, even with how society used to look down on them before the rise of Voldemort, surely one spell from a family book was worth the lives it could save?" He shook his head sadly. "Alas not all members of our society for its betterment."_

"_Thank you Professor, I think it's clear that this is all a misunderstanding and that you have done nothing wrong, legally or morally. No matter what the goblins say."_

_He smiled at that as orders arrived. "Thank you, Alicia. It is hard for me to keep track of things here in London from Scotland. I hope your readers acknowledge that I did what I did not out of some misplaced sense of moral authority. I am well aware that what I did was wrong, but because someone had too. In those dark times there wasn't anyone else to shoulder the pain."_

OoooOoooO

_11th September, Harry's Lab_

Having books to work from was making alchemy an actual subject for Harry instead of the botched mess of techniques and observations he accumulated since third year. Take potion making as an example: a quickened silver spoon engraved with a few runes allowed him to extend his magical awareness and power down the shaft of the spoon, letting him make adjustments to the brewing process as it went. That had been in chapter five and he'd previously been limited to slightly altering the ingredients he could touch before they were added.

That said, he couldn't do much because alchemy took a long time and a silver rod... well, that got hot fast. But it was vital for his current project: A potion mixing the last few drops of Basilisk venom he'd recovered from Slytherin's beast along with monkswood, firian venom and some vampire blood.

On it's own, basilisk venom was the worst poison you could think of. It destroyed the container you tried to hide it in, etched through the blade you tried to put it on and could only be held by very, very well made un-enchanted glass vials with minimal impurities. It ate most magic thrown at it, along with any that wasn't a silicate or a calcite. With this concoction he'd be able to put it on an ordinary blade, or in someone's drink.

Alchemy was a glorious thing: One part magical sense, one part potions, one part wandless touch based transfiguration and one part shaping of mystical it you could dissolve charms placed on you, neutralise poisons as you drank them and turn one magical creature into another. Or lead into gold if you felt like it. All you needed was the correct tools, willpower and a lot of magical energy to back it up. And skin contact.

He couldn't save the world with it, he told himself. But as the rat he'd taken from Hedwig's supply convulsed in agony he figured he could use it to solve a couple of problems.

In a cauldron on the other side of the room, a egg shaped stone simmered in a steadily clearing precipitate as static sparked along the pot next to it.

OoooOoooO

_12__th_ _September, Private Arithmancy Class_

"I am an idiot." Hannah announced to the room. "A complete and utter imbecile. No wonder this doesn't tie properly into runes, it's like trying to call Assembly from Java!" She yelled loudly, tearing up an hours worth of work.

"Is that some kind of muggle thing?" Professor Vector asked with a frown as the more... _radical_of her charges descended on her muggle stationary. All those pens and parchment that wasn't rough. Scribbles and meaningless diagrams. This new fangled stuff just wasn't as good as a quill in her eyes, they forced students to write in elegant lines and not convoluted squiggles!

"An Arithmancy equivalent for computers." Hannah answered quickly, sketching down theories and jotting out notes before the moment of inspiration left. "The non-magical wand. We design spells, right here, right now." She got out. "Runes are simple, their geometry and alignment have inherent magical properties, like circuits, they are our assembly, the most basic level of code, but we don't use that in spellcrafting." Underlining one of her more obscure theories she stared straight into her professors eyes. "Tell me, Professor, just what does Latin have to do with magic?"

Professor Annalise Vector, Master Spellcrafter, twelfth generation pureblood looked at her group of treasured apprentices with something akin to amazement. "Well, the Romans invented wands..." But that wasn't a particularly good reason. Sounds didn't have arithmantic representations. They had runes tuned to pitch and tone.

"Precisely." Hannah threw her pencil down as her proffesor stared off into the distance. "What if spells are just vocally triggered rune groups and wands are little more than complex, vocally programmable, foci."

"But, but..." Erin stuttered. "Hannah. You're a genius." The professor paled as the girl she'd only let join this group as a personal favour pulled a knife from her ankle, pricked her finger and sketched a rune on the page in her own blood.

Erin dropped it on the floor and stepped back. Everyone recognised one of the more intense fire runes. Sucking her finger the girl stared at it with a manic grin. "If you're right, this should _burn._" Nothing happened.

She tried again. Still nothing.

"That's not how a wand works, Erin." Hermione tried, ripping a page out of her notebook. "If Hannah is correct, you would need a syllabic rune group attached to a fire rune. "I think what she meant is something like this." She walked over to place the ball of paper in front of the bloody page, bending down to touch the rune written in her coven sister's blood.

The rune caught fire with the small ball of paper, burning both sheets to ash in an instant. Hermione jumped back with a yelp, sucking her singed finger. "That wasn't supposed to happen." She muttered under her breath, eyebrows creased in thought.

"So you can light a fire with a small blood based ritual? I fail to see how that has anything to do with wands." The professor stated with a frown. "I feel I should also point out that it's highly illegal and that we should get back to the task at hand and properly balance these syllable groups..."

Hannah sighed. "But magic is definitely intent based, even if it needs some geometric channel, it has nothing to do with rhyme or chants." She put her pencil down. "So all this hassle is completely pointless. Look, if a wand is what we think it is..." She looked at Hermione, smiled and looked at Erin. They both nodded.

"You think you can make a wand." Harry stated.

"More like a spell-stick. Provided we can get charms to carve the runes perfectly onto our base material, I don't want to think what would happen if that went wrong." Blaise looked a little sheepish but nodded. The three girls shared a very, very evil look.

"If you can manage that, I'll give all of you full marks for the year and share my private research with you." The Professor hesitantly put forward. Because, if this was true, they'd just discovered the art of wandcrafting. A trick that had been kept in very few, very powerful families for centuries.

Hannah reached out with a hand. Harry groaned but dropped a vial of small silver liquid into it anyway. "Give us two weeks." She said as confidently as she could. If this was right... her bone wand tumbled through her hands.

This was big, very big.

She went over to coordinate with the others who were interested in the project and stop Hermione from cursing herself for not coming up with this idea first.

_An hour later, Harry's Domain_

"Okay, okay... I'll explain already. Just... get everyone gather round, I don't want to explain this twice." She ran a nervous hand through her hair as the bone wand slipped into her palm. "I guess you all want to know where my wand theory thing came from. Harry, Daphne, have either of you used the wands Hermione found for us?"

Harry slammed his head on to the desk. "I'm an idiot." He said, rubbing his forehead. "I tried to use it for some dark arts practise but all I got was smoke. I thought it just wasn't as attuned to me as my original wand, so I haven't used it since. Thinking of the reactions we got though... You think it's a different style of wand?"

Hannah nodded, biting her lower lip. "It would explain the differences in construction and style. They're not the same type or... pattern? As the Ollivander ones. So I don't believe that they're constructed for the same purpose as our standard wands."

"Okay." Harry turned to Hermione. "If that's true, then did the place you got them from sell any strange or different spell books?"

She froze, staring off into the distance for a second. "There was one that some interesting charms and really advanced spells written in it." Hermione she said timidly. "They were way, way above our current level. You need to sketch runes in the air, chant... erm..." She rubbed her forehead as she tried to remember. "There were some references to invocations. I didn't understand half of what it was talking about so I set it aside for later."

"And this didn't seem strange to you?" Daphne asked. "You're normally the one that hounds inconsistencies like that."

"Well it was taken from a combined, charmed and heavily enchanted personal grimoire of a three hundred plus year old doddering wizard who still thought Bagnold was minister and regaled me with tales of Barrow Wights and the last goblin rebellion." Hermione half-snapped at Daphne, rubbing her head with one hand. "I had a lot of stuff to sort out after that trip, okay? Some of it was going to get overlooked."

"He must have been very powerful to have lived that long." Padma stated with a far away look. "The only person who fits would be..." She snorted with disbelief. "You can't have gotten the grimoire of Datherby Bint."

Hermione looked up sharply. "How did you know? He was just a doddering old man who fell over himself to please the first person he seemed to have seen in months."

"Datherby Bint was the 'hero' of the last goblin rebellion, single-handedly slaying entire battalions of their troops. A gentleman adventurer of some renown and world famous battle-mage." Padma looked up towards the heavens. "_Oh how far the mighty have fallen._" She quoted. "_When war lays down its wand and the wielder fades_. I can't remember the rest, something about death and uprisings, but it seemed appropriate."

"Great." Harry grimaced, pulling his engraved wand out to stare at. "We have wands of the dead allies of one of the greatest battle-mages. And there I was thinking fate and ominous portents had decided to overlook me this year." He slid the wand back to its holster. "We don't have time to learn a completely new style of casting for a wand we could loose in the middle of a fight and never replace. Maybe after the war is over we can take a look at it but we can't afford it right now."

"Are you sure?" Padma's eyes met his. "Because if Ollivander's wands are pistols, battle wands are artillery pieces."

Harry hesitated, imagining the level of destruction that involved. "Fine. I'll take a look at the bloody grimoire and I'll see if I think it's worth it. But I'm not making any promises. Hermione, you'll have to allow me to access it, there's no way we're going to find a copy charm that would work on it." She nodded sheepishly. "Oh, and don't worry about not mentioning it till now, you did a wonderful job getting everything for us."

Rose tinted her cheeks and she smiled at him, her worries about him being angry at her for missing something put to rest. Now she just had to work out how to tune the sound runes for specific words and syllables.

OoooOoooO

_13__th_ _September, Flitwick's Office_

"...and that is how a Fidelius charm is finalised. You are quite correct that in practise it appears to be more ritual than charm; but since it doesn't actually require components or call on an external source of magic, it is most definitely a charm. Bringing in others to power it could easily dilute or break the trust the charm relies on unless you trusted them as much as you did yourself." Flitwick beamed at his favourite pupil, violet eyes going over the last bit of theory from their two week stint on it.

"Fascinating. The caster has to force the secret inside the keepers head and every time the keeper speaks it, sees it, or hears it a bit of that secret sneaks back into the world." Blaise smiled. "Ever so ingenious, I'm amazed it's not dark looking at this."

The half-goblin snorted. "Trust a Slytherin to make that comparison." Blaise shrugged. "But yes, that is a very apt description of it. Now, I need you to promise me that you will not attempt to cast it before your Majority and most certainly not unsupervised. It can easily kill you if you do it wrong."

"Of course I won't." Blaise lied easily. "I've seen the power requirements involved and the trust you need to have in the keeper..." She trailed off. Dumbledore had trusted Pettigrew... completely trusted, or the charm would have failed. With what she knew of the man, he must have... he must have... trusted the rat to betray Harry's parents? It just didn't make sense. She wasn't going to tell Harry though. Hell no. He'd kill someone and then get caught!

"Is something the matter?" Filius asked quickly.

Blaise looked away nervously. "No it's just..." _Quick, think of a distraction... A complete change of topic, err..._

"Don't tell me you've gotten yourself caught pranking again, Peeves is taking all the credit for them at the moment." He smiled weakly. "I keep asking Severus to tell me how he managed to keep the pest out of the Slytherin dorms but he flat out refuses to tell me."

"No... it's not that, but... I have been having difficulty with one particular charm." She said slyly. "The House changing charm."

"The house changing charm?" Flitwick frowned. "Can't say I've heard of it, have you tried talking to Minerva, I'm sure she's always wanted to change a house into mansions or something similar."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Blaise said quickly. "I'm talking about the spell you cast on students at the sorting feast. That gives them the school crest and trim. I've checked the charms n the robes but they work off of some external connection to the castle I haven't been able to work out yet."

Filius practically beamed at her. "Why yes! You found those, in all my years of teaching I have never had a student think to use the detection charms on their clothes but I shouldn't be surprised that you picked up on it." He sighed, staring off into the distance, lips twitching upward at the corners. "It's a real shame that you and your study group dropped out of classes this year. It's barely worth teaching sixth year without you, they've gone from an interesting an insightful group to a bunch of sheep who keep waiting for one of you to answer all the questions." Flitwick chuckled at her reaction.

"I didn't think any had realised who we were." Blaise said unhappily, pouting at the floor.

"Well, unlike most of the school, I can see what's in front of my nose. So can Pomona and everyone whose initials don't resemble something a snake would say. Even McGonagall knows and she's so bogged down in work she can barely see the front of her nose. Why, I went to her office yesterday and managed to sit on paperwork instead of transfiguring the chair like I normally do. Don't see what's wrong with it myself." He leant forward with a goblin grin. "Now, when are you going to stop pretending you're not with them and invite them over to the Slytherin table? That'll really put a niffler in their vaults and I have a bet with Pomphrey I want to win."

Blaise's mouth went up and down for a moment. "When we can get away with it... How come nobodies said anything if it's that obvious?"

The professor shrugged. "Because Dumbledore doesn't live in the real world anymore and Slytherin has had few cunning souls in the past few decades. Now, about this charm, I believe it's tied into the spellwork of Hogwarts itself in a similar way that point allocation is tied to teachers and prefects." He paused, letting his student reach her own conclusions. For that was the goblin way and in his mind the only way to teach: Let them draw their own conclusions and then point out their mistakes until they get it right or go away, whichever came first. That way if they came up with a better idea, it was yours all along but he'd never do that. It just happened to make students _think_.

"So it requires a teacher to cast it..." Blaise frowned. "Or maybe not, anyone in a position of recognised authority can allocate points, and the prefect badges don't have charms on them so it would have to be a position of authority recognised by the school, possibly through another charm?"

"Very well reasoned." Flitwick clapped happily. "In fact any old authority will do, the sorting hat has it's own built in variant that fails on occasion, Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin for example, and it's a recognised part of my duties should they fulfill the requirements. An ingenious bit of charmwork, probably put together by Helga herself."

Blaise nodded along with his explanation, filling in her own reasoning around ley-lines and keystones. "It must be a very interesting spell."

"Of course it is." Flitwick said with glee. "You won't be able to cast it as you're not a teacher but we can pull apart the structure. If I remember correctly, it's absolutely fascinating how it interacts with multiple magical sources and enchantments at once."

"If you could that would be brilliant, thank you." Blaise said with a demented grin. Harry wouldn't be classed as a teacher but they could find some way around that. Right?

"Don't thank me young lady, I haven't had the opportunity to do something this interesting in a decade or two." The half-goblin seemed invigorated by the prospect. "A true problem to sink my teeth into. Why, I won't even bother looking for my notes!"

OoooOoooO

_14__th_ _September, Headmaster's Office_

Dumbledore cradled his head in his hands. _'For neither shall live whilst the other survives.' _It had driven him, excused him and taunted him. From the very beginning he and he alone would take the burden for the crimes that had to be committed in the name of the greater good. If the Potters had not died that night, if whatever rite had Lily hadn't required the time James bought. The eyes, it was always the eyes he saw. Dark charred pits. How angry did you have to make a Dark Lord to make him kill you in such a horrid manner? _'those who have thrice defied him'. _The Potters, no matter how much he had distrusted Charlus, had certainly done that.

Yet Harry survived still. He didn't 'live' like everyone else. Couldn't have lived, in fact, it was the most damming reason to suspect Riddle's continued existence all those years. Not once had he raised his hand to stop the police or social services from taking him away from that home. He would have warded the new one all the same. But he hadn't raised his hand to help either.

How the boy must rage, how _empty _his own justifications felt. To keep someone away from their friends over summer, just to stop whatever fate-cursed entropy that followed Harry for at least a month every year. It was shallow, daring and... regretful.

Fawkes chirped at him.

"I know, I know." The old wizard said sadly, placing the glass back on the desk. "No more tonight. I was just... thinking. Why can't it be like it was, one good duel to decide everything? Why must we fight in the shadows, with words, and paper! Next we'll be using poisons like characters in some muggle play. _'My kingdom for a horse' _and other falsities." He stood on unsteady legs, staring over charts of raids, the haphazard pins strewn across the map. Where was the pattern, where was the _plan_? Did Riddle truly not have one? Was this just an opening gambit to put him off-balance?

"What am I missing?" He demanded of the world. "I defeated the wielder of the elder wand in a duel, I've discovered more uses for dragon blood, I've... I've made the world a better place. A safer place." Even that rung false. The rotating defence teachers that he'd let happen. Never proving or disproving the curse, the books he kept for his personal collection... It all added up. He swallowed as his head spun.

"I'm the greatest wizard in two centuries for Merlin's sake and fate passes me by. There is no curse, geas or potion I couldn't sense or undo. My head is clear." A chuckle escaped from pursed lips. "I can _feel_ people lie, make them trust me. One step short of a god in the public's eye. I'm one of the last alchemists, maybe even _the_last. What am I missing?" Fawkes didn't say anything.

Harry was telling the truth when he said he knew nothing of the article. Draco didn't remember telling anyone about it. Who was the third player in this war? Was there one? Either of his attempts at verification could be foiled by an Obliviation. He _needed_ to know how that got out, he was _certain _he had contained that little crisis. Why, oh why, couldn't Harry and Tom just eliminate themselves and be done with it. It was what they were fated to do and he dared not intervene too much. Why had he not died with the diary.

The ring, of course it had to be the ring. Two Horcruxes to split a soul into three, magically stable and powerful. He could go out right now, claim the Resurrection stone for himself. All three Hallows within easy grasp. It was tempting...

All he'd have to do was reach out and use the power contained within his tomes, call upon the rage, the hate, the unjustness of having to wake up at seven in the morning to get berated by governers and parents in meeting after meeting as the prospect of sleep dangled like a carrot in front of him. The irritation at being unable to do business with the goblins or any organisation that required their cheques or meeting rooms. The despair at lacking the time and reliable followers to chase up every last lead.

It would be ever so easy.

"You're drunk Albus." He told himself. "What would Abe say if he saw you now?" The Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizadry snorted, shook his head and headed for his rooms. The answer was never flattering.

OoooOoooO

_16th September, Harry's Lab_

It was done. The rat mewled pitifully as it twitched and squirmed before falling silent. Harry checked his watch: five seconds had passed. One of Hedwigs snacks was dead, and his scalpel wasn't showing any noticeable signs of decay. Reaching down he unclipped the poisoner's sheath from his leg, the slender piece of leather and mental was enchanted to spray the blade with a liquid as it was drawn, ensuring the first strike was an eventual kill.

Unfortunately most poisons took at least a few minutes to start working, a few minutes being long enough for whoever he'd had to stab to finish him off. Hence why the potion currently on the blade was non-fatal. In the same way the cruciatus curse was didn't kill you. The thin amber liquid with a consistency of blood dripped slowly into the vial Harry held with a pair of disposable gloves. The non-magical world was a brilliant place.

Rinsing the sheath out carefully Harry prepared to break one of his most important rules: never carry a poison you can't cure.

Not that he particularly cared in this case, his current target had tried to make his first five years of Hogwarts hell for no apparent reason as far as he could tell. Severus Snape. The man who had belittled him, scorned him and laughed at him when he was down and now, with the Dark Lord acting openly, a threat to him and his girls. If it was just him, Harry might have let him live for a little longer, the man was an incompetent, failing to acknowledge Harry's ability to not let his potion explode with all the crap the Slytherin's threw in it. But he gave the other Death Munchers in his House immunity to punishment and could run to Dumbledore for forgiveness of the oh so repentant purebloods.

But he knew they could not more fail in obeying their master than a familiar could.

He shook the vial of brown sludge slowly from side to side. However satisfying it would be to stick a knife in the 'Professor's' side it would be very bloody obvious, so he'd settle for a poisoning. The Marauder's Map showed the dungeons were clear and Snape wasn't in his personal rooms off his office.

OoooOoooO

Harry breathed in, then out from under the cloak. His magic rippled along it's surface, dampening the feelings he was getting from the Dungeons. The area was covered in barriers, alarms and other irritating spells he couldn't identify, block or risk messing with. Harry suddenly had the unnerving feeling that he wasn't being paranoid enough. That was just the dungeons.

The entrance to Snape's rooms was covered by a portrait. Harry frowned. The likelihood of it requiring a password was high. Even higher was the likelihood that the portrait would immediately report to Snape if he tried to gain access, which he couldn't risk. Even if he followed behind Snape as he entered his rooms, he'd have to do so without disturbing the rest of the man's wards.

If the Gremlin's had a flaw, it was that lacked a warder and Harry could tell just by the slick feeling he got that these were far beyond him.

He'd have to try another way.

OoooOoooO

_Sunday 17__th_ _September, Great Hall_

It was a Sunday and like all Sunday's (for the last two weeks) the paper was late again and people were waiting eagerly for their next dose of entertainment. Speculation was rampant. Harry had heard rumours of everything from Dumbledore being in love with Grindlewald to him being the result of a sordid love affair between his mother, Severus, Sirius or even Riddle himself depending on who was talking. He didn't care. Breakfast was coming.

Harry watched out the corner of his eye as food appeared on the head table. Snape's goblet glowed an incandescent green as swirling purple vapours spun their way towards the ceiling. Reflexes from years of teaching potions triggered on instinct and the cup along with it's contents disappeared from existence. _Damn. _

Severus eyed his food warily, checking it with a variety of detection charms as the rest of the castle stared at the show. Let them. "If you'll excuse me professors, I believe I'll be eating in my rooms today."

"Surely you're not going to let some childish prank chase you from Great Hall Severus?" Dumbledore asked with that blasted twinkling in his eye. "I know I charmed the goblets to react to poisons, but they'd also flag up pranks." That wasn't the problem, the problem was that it would take assistance from a House Elf to get the potion in the drink before it appeared, and a muggle poison might not show up on his scans. He wouldn't put it past Dumbledore. Or the mudblood who hit the Dark Lord with a dark curse.

"After that lovely display I'm no longer feeling particularly hungry. I do not take well to pranks, Headmaster, perhaps you should inform the students of what just happened." He bit back before he could insult the old coot and let him stand and tap his glass. With the Weasley twins gone, there was only one child in the school foolish and arrogant enough to attempt to prank him, _if_it was benign as the Headmaster suspected.

"Thank you, thank you. There is no need to be alarmed, with the confirmed rebirth of Lord Voldemort," Cue the hushed flinch. Impudent dunderheads. "I felt it prudent to charm the silverware of the school to detect poisons, what you saw just now was someone attempting an ill advised prank on the potions professor." He shook his head. "If the perpetrator would please come forward I can assure them a lenient punishment." No one moved.

Dumbledore said something else that Snape didn't hear as Harry's eyes glanced over him and he struck. His probe slammed headfirst into a wall, splintering his mind in twain, leaving agony in it's wake. The brat smirked at him and for some unknown reason he felt fear. Harry Potter had become an Occlumens, something the Dark Lord had warned him must never happen. He barely acknowledged the morning swarm of owls as he stormed to his quarters, clutching his arm as an excuse to leave the old fools side. The paper would probably give him an excuse.

_3 knuts_ **The Sunday Prophet **_17__th_ _September 1996_

**The Lies and Tragedy of one Albus Dumbledore**  
><em>By Rita Skeetor<em>

_Isn't in lovely when bias creeps it's way kicking and screaming into our lovely paper dear readers? Two weeks ago even editor was surprised at the article adorning these respected pages. Yes, it's quite true, we didn't write or intend to print that article but I will happily endorse Sue, whoever she may be. But I think we're all agreed that writing style is more than a little... dry._

_Then, my dear lovely readers we had last weeks fiasco. It might as well have read: Dumbledore Seeks Confessionary for Absolution, or How to Break the Law and Steal Teach Children. My personal favourite being Dumbledore, Gellert's First Crush, Manipulating the World for his Own Gain._

_That's right my readers. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Supreme Mugwump, Chief Warlock of the Internationally Redundant Council, son of a sworn muggle hater with a squib for a sister and a goat-lover for a brother was Gellert Grindelwald's boyfriend._

_I thank whichever of my anonymous readers presented me with the tip that led me to Bathilda Bagshot's door. I like to believe it was Sue, letting a more experienced and authoritative writer convey the truth to the masses, but there is no way to tell. Whoever you are, I give you and the public of wizarding Britain's thanks. We are in your debt._

_For this is the Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore._

…

**Reporter Murdered!**  
><em>Lord Wellstead, Editor<em>

_It was brought to my attention that one of our favourite reporters, Miss Alicia Nevergarde, friend of Albus Dumbledore and valued reporter for the Daily Prophet died a painful death at her home. Aurors have identified the curse used but the suspect remains at large. She will be missed._

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><p><em>AN: Long chapter is loooooong. Please leave a review (those lovely lovely things I crave like a small cat craves full cream) especially the nice long ones which point out gaping holes or speculate on what the plot gremlin at the back of my mind is up to. They are wonderful wonderful things.<em>

_I do know that I've got Hermione & Daphne's birthdays round the wrong way but I decided to change them back when this was planned to consist of smut and you should see the reason next chapter._

_Till next time (which will hopefully not take a month like this one)._


	11. The Danger of Love

_AN: Yeah, this took a while to write. The last few months have not gone especially well for me, and it's pretty much my fault. Incidentally, the next chapter managed to write itself before I edited this one into readability. Thank you all for the reviews for the previous chapter and whilst I've tried to flesh out a time line, it made me realise just how bad this story is in terms of plot formulation. It'll get a little better after this chapter._

_Recommended Story: 'The Queen who fell to earth' by Bodmin356, a rather brilliant crossover with the dragons of Pern._

_Warning: This chapter contains references to rape. The worst scene has been marked so it can be skipped if the subject matter makes you uncomfortable, I certainly felt a little sick writing it. Love potions are truly disgusting things._

_This chapter has been beta'd by the lovely __Ceridwen Kalamack_

* * *

><p><strong>11. The Danger of Love<strong>

_27th September 1996, Minister for Magic's Office_

Rufus hadn't worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for long enough to become immune to his Amelia's disappointed stare and as steam rose from his tea, The Minister for Magic leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I didn't ask for this." Was the first thing said that meeting.

"For the Minister position, or the squabbling idiocy of wizards?" She bit out. "Because you definitely asked for the first and only a fool would forget the second came with it." Srimgeour lent forward, rubbing tired eyes with one hand as his other strayed through the papers on his desk.

"I meant this mess, Amelia, how did we end up in this situation? Luck, fate, meddling? Every paper and order I send to your department comes straight back to me." She didn't flinch or react in anyway, not even the half-insulting sneer he'd gotten whilst working under her. No one else in his office had worked with her enough to notice that little discrepancy. Every time he'd done something as an Auror and then as the Head of Department she'd always had that little disappointed sneer. And he'd done so many things wrong to her eyes since taking office.

Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was keeping secrets from the very government she upheld. It caused an ache in his heart that getting more and more common with each passing day. He sighed. Amelia's lip twitched as his attention returned to their conversation.

"Several of those orders were illegal, unspecified demands or impossible tasks. Whilst I'd love to be able to solve all our difficulties with a wave of a wand, we need certain laws changed first. The established Houses have too many protections, remove some of those and the maybe we'll be able to sort this mess out..." Amelia trailed off.

"But you won't be." Scrimgeour said firmly. "You've had what? Two months? None of the funding bills have passed, you've got maybe five Aurors with combat experience? After two months with the shell of a good woman I'm amazed we haven't had more leaving. What were you thinking?" He snapped at her before looking away. "I'm sorry it's been a stressful day."

"Luciena is a highly motivated, competent young women whom I trust, which is more than can be said of the rest of the ministry." Rufus flinched. "Since we're not allowed to check people for His mark. I think Luciena is doing a remarkably good job of removing the threat."

Rufus snorted. "Removing?" He said with a look of astonishment. "Removing? We've lost three ancient families 'resisting arrest'." He made quotes in the air. "Three, and she goes out in the field herself. That never happened when I was in office."

"We haven't lost three. We've lost one family, Rufus, because we weren't allowed to check our own people. The other two were terrorists that couldn't be taken alive." Amelia emphasised. "It's the best we can do. We have no spies, no intelligence and no idea when or where he's going to strike next; the detection grid only flags it up during the event – and that if it's in a muggle area." She emphasised with a bit of a growl. "And then only if the grid is working, which is problematic at best. We can't do this alone; we need to ask the Department of Mysteries for help."

"I did that. That spokesperson of theirs, the Croaker, claimed they can't interfere directly." Scrimgeour frowned, brows narrowing as he recalled that blasted meeting. "I have no idea why my predecessors left them with so much autonomy, hell they're equivalent to a sovereign nation..." A deep, defeated chuckle rose from within him as he relaxed. "When I got this office I couldn't believe the rumours were actually true. One of our own departments, founded by a Dark Lady back in the seventeenth century." He collected himself after a moment, taking a sip from his tea, relishing the feeling of calm and warmth as the potions took effect. Amelia allowed him the time to collect himself, giving nothing away.

He snorted at that, _allowed_, he was, after all, her superior now, skipped over by the Wizenmeet who wanted a strong, neutral and _male _figure to lead them out of these dark times. "I believe we've digressed enough, I didn't actually mean to discuss your departments performance. I know you're competent, what I do need to talk to you about is a little political..." Rufus paused, trying to work out the best way of phrasing it.

Madam Bones was having none of it. "I've said no once and I'll say it again, if you want Harry to do something, ask him yourself." The Minister's eyes hardened at that.

"You honestly believe that Dumbledore will let me contact him in Hogwarts?" He laughed. "I've tried, believe me. I've tried. Without his endorsement, I need to be seen to be doing something. We haven't uncovered anything useful, Azkaban was overrun yesterday..." He trailed off, looking into the distance.

"I didn't know that Azkaban had been overrun." Amelia said through narrowed eyes.

"Oh yes, happened late afternoon; You-Know-Who broke in and took all the prisoners who would join him and killed the rest. Only one of the guards survived. We're trying to keep it quiet so no one panics, knowing all those murderers are back on the streets." Scrimgeour explained as calmly as possible in the face of sheer disgust he was being shown.

"I'm head of the DMLE I should have been informed." Amelia spluttered out. "That information is vital to our security." Scrimgeour leaned forward on his desk, slamming his hands down.

"And I know you Amelia, the first thing you would have done is sounded a general alert and had Aurors, Hit-Wizards and Merlin knows what other resources you have combing the country for them. Hardly a situation that begets secrecy is it?" Amelia nodded reluctantly. "Good, now you'll understand why I forbid you from doing exactly that. Without any political powerhouse behind me, I need to be seen doing something. So..." He looked through the papers on his desk to find the list. "If we arrest known sympathisers, not all at once mind you, but a couple here and there, I'll be able to maintain enough support to carry on playing both factions against each other and possibly."

"What evidence do we have to arrest them?" She asked, falling back into her chair, looking thoughtful.

"We don't need evidence, we're the Ministry." As soon as those words left his mouth, he knew he'd lost her.

Madam Bones rose slowly to her feet. "Of course we don't; our last Minister was bribed by the 'upstanding' members of society and now the situation is reversed. You're trying to bribe them and the public. Unfortunately the ones we need to arrest are the one's you're trying to bribe."

"You make me sound like a puppet, Amelia. I thought you knew me better than that! How else am I meant to stop things like _this_ passing?" He shoved a small pile of paper across the table. "Look at it and tell me!"

She did. Muggleborn Registration Act was titled in big letters across the top page. "Simple, they have no justification for any of this." Amelia said after reading the first few paragraphs. "It's complete and utter bullshit."

"Yes they do. The Department of Mysteries incident and the death five Heads of House." Dead eyes met hers. "_Muggleborn are spreading dangerous ideas, their views on combat and war have resulted in many, many deaths. Their influence on our society must be reigned in less they destroy us from the inside_." He quoted absently. "Albus Dumbledore. Really Amelia, given the alternative I can't see why you're so against this."

"What I am against Rufus, is throwing a bunch of innocent people into Azkaban just so that Riddle can go and recruit them later. It's almost as bad as the muggleborn address law that's on the agenda for next week. The one that was proposed by you." His eyes hardened.

"You don't understand! This isn't about ideals or what's right and what's wrong. What this is about Madame Bones is political reality; I'm a minor player in my own damn government and if I don't suggest this, someone else would have. Then how long will it be till I'm thrown out of government and someone's puppet sits here instead?" Amelia said nothing. "If I had the public's support or another form of backing I might be able to do something..." He trailed off.

"Harry Potter reacts very badly to blackmail, Minister I thought you knew that." Her statement was completely lacking in emotion, Rufus caught his hand halfway to his wand, licking his lips nervously as he tried to be reasonable.

"He's just a child, all I need is some sort of endorsement from someone. Unlike you, I don't already have a large powerbase to draw on." The last bit was spat out.

"Yes, I wouldn't even think of threatening the most important person in his life." Amelia pushed the chair she'd been sitting in under the desk. "Hermione Granger, the girl who wounded Riddle, and is counted as Harry's best friend is a muggleborn. I suggest you remember that before passing a law that would force her to give her parent's address to a ministry with more leaks than a sieve." She turned and strode to the door, pausing for a moment. "Goodbye Minister."

Scrimgeour frowned, his tea cup smashing against the wall of the office as he snarled. Harry Potter might prefer that he committed political suicide but Harry bloody Potter wasn't here, was he? Besides, it was easy enough to find out someone's address if you looked hard enough. All you had to do was track a bloody owl. Checking his schedule he had half an hour before his next meeting with Madam Zabini. It really was one of those days.

OoooOoooO

_Sunday 1st October 1996, Great Hall_

Harry didn't know whether to be disgusted or sickened by the things written in this weeks episode of the 'Sunday Slander' as people had started calling it. The Ministry were managing to make themselves look like imbeciles without Daphne's help. Take this line for example _'pass new laws against the defamation of pillars of our society' _what did that mean? Laws to protect anyone from libel? Those with money from slander? Dumbledore from the truth? It looked and read like a load of hot air, and the comments on first generations made his blood boil. Therefore, it was a particularly useless distraction.

Sighing, he scratched an itch on the top of his eyelid and yawned. "You study too much Harry." Lavender said with a wry smile. "You look like you've spent a day in Azkaban, not a month at Hogwarts." She licked her lips, leaning across the table. "Why don't you leave Hermione to it for a day and come and relax with your Housemates in Hogsmeade? It'll be fun..." She leaned forward, giving Harry a very good view of her unbuttoned blouse. "Parvati and I haven't had a chance to talk to you since the holidays and we've got a lot of catching up to do..."

Beside him, Hermione snapped her mouth shut as he pinched her. Scowl transforming into a nervous half-glance back at Harry as he smiled sweetly at Lavender. "Really, I wasn't aware we had much catching up to do since you've never talked to me before." He stood, pulling Hermione up with him. "But of course this didn't have anything to do with realising I had two Lordships, did it?" He glared them down. "I'm taken." Harry stated coldly, turning to leave. "Shall we?" He asked tersely, leading Hermione out the hall in front of two worried pairs of eyes. One twinkling, one friendly.

Harry felt the daily headache starting as the stone corridors passed by, he needed to take something for that. Unfortunately he couldn't, because it would react badly with the stimulants he'd been taking to stay awake and he'd already had to waste half an hour alchemically transmuting the more toxic combinations building up in his blood into water. Taking any kind of healing potion now would probably result in, well...unpleasantness. But he had just over two weeks to make, categorize, and memorize the various effects he might want before the ritual and work out how to incorporate them. He could not fail this.

Someone grabbed his arm. He spun, pushed her away and found himself pinning Hermione to the wall, his wand pressed between the two mounds underneath her shirt. Her other arm snaked around his back before he had a chance to pull away. "How much sleep did you get last night?" She asked with a faint smile.

Harry looked down and away from her, sighing wearily. "Four hours."

"So two then." Hermione corrected absently. "Just how long have you been doing this?" She asked softly, running a hand down the side of his face. "You're not eating properly, haven't teased any of us in two weeks. You're temper's short... You need to get some sleep." She said firmly.

He looked at her with a faint expression of hurt. "I... I can't." He said a little bitterly. "I... "

"Try please, for us." She said softly. "You haven't even looked at us twice in the last week and you've dropped behind in everyone else's subjects. You know that we'll be there when you're ready to talk about it. If..." She paused, a little uneasily. "If you don't feel like talking to one of us there's always Neville, or Luna." Leaning forward she kissed him faintly on the lips. "Please, Harry. You've got me pinned against the wall and you're not even reacting down there..."

The point of his wand left a small trail of fire down her body as the tension seeped out of him. Burying his nose into her hair he relaxed, breathing deeply and holding her close. This was his reason. He skimmed over his cracked and shoddy mental shields, the large theoretically lethal dose of stimulant potion fighting to keep him alert and the fatigue that cramped his limbs. "Fuck, you're right." Leaning back, he stared deep into those golden eyes with a half-smile on his face. "I thought I was supposed to be the one looking after you?"

"A good slave anticipates the needs of her Master, even if he doesn't want to admit to them." She said a little cheekily, and he chuckled.

"Well, I'll have to find a way to reward you." He gave her a faint peck on the cheek. "But not now. I'm going to go sleep for, erm, some time." He blinked. "Come to think of it, I could use your help seeing if the runes can be used to inscribe what I want, but that can be done later." Ignoring the rush of students frantically getting ready for a trip outside the castle, Hermione dragged her Lord and friend back to a place where he could crash.

OoooOoooO

_October 3rd, After Charms_

Lavender Brown was having a shit day. Harry bloody Potter had embarrassed her in front of the entire Gryffindor table on Saturday and now it had then been spread all over the castle, conveniently leaving Parvati's part in the plan out of it. Not that the Patil girl had done much, she'd been too busy chatting to her unnamed sister that had somehow snuck into the bastard's good graces. Then she'd had a double period of NEWT charms where they'd finally gotten round to casting something. Her _Avis _had misfired when Pansy had gone off about her and attacked Flitwick. In front of all four Houses! It was just shameful.

"Hey, wait!" Li's voice yelled from behind her. Despite herself Lavender turned to glare at the Ravenclaw pureblood.

"Why, so you can make fun of me like everyone else?" She got off snarkily, turning to leave.

"It's not like that." The earnest feeling in Li's voice halted her as effectively as a wall. "I saw what happened in the lunch hall that morning. Don't turn away. It's not your fault. Trust me on this one."

"Why should I?" Lavender asked sharply. "It's not like it'll change anything."

"Believe me it will, haven't you wondered why Harry is acting so strangely this year?" Lavender paused, chewing at her lip.

"I thought it was just getting his Lordships that had made him so..." She frowned. "Noticeable and arrogant. Before he just wasn't really interesting. That can't be right."

Li led her off into a nearby classroom. It was one of the idiosyncrasies of the castle that it had seven floors and only a few more classes. Given that each teacher almost never left their respective classrooms and that the dormitories were magically expanded concealed areas - there was an awful lot of spare space left over. It was almost as if the castle expected to be used for far more than it actually was. Some rooms even had podiums, rune circles and other things that couldn't be picked off and carted off because anything of value that wasn't bolted down definitely hadn't made it to their century.

This one, for instance had what looked to be a shallow bowl carved into the floor, blackened with centuries of use as a fire-pit. Hooks lined the walls where something used to hang. It was enigma and no one else would come here. "_Muffliato, Colloportus._" Li shot at the door.

"Why did you do that?" Li put her finger on the business end of the Gryffindor's wand and pushed it away from her face as she slipped hers into her back pocket.

"It's best if no one else hears what I have to say." Li's eyes fixed on Lavender. She nodded, reluctantly. "Right, well. My family... does not originate from this country. As such I sometimes believe that my father has a better grasp of this countries laws than anyone who lives here."

"What's that got to do with me?" Lavender got out.

"I'm getting to that. The point is that my father got a copy of the Black Will reading from the goblins, where Harry found out how badly Dumbledore was screwing with him and then dug a little further. Our Headmaster is a meddling loathsome _bastard_." She spat. "And that is putting it nicely. He put a dual Lord in what was probably an abusive muggle home, robbed him blind and has been covering up all of the shit that's been going on here. Practically no one who doesn't go here knows of the Chamber of Secrets, or Quirrell, or what Umbridge did. Then he pretended to be Harry's guardian, illegally refused all of those contracts that were sent to him, stole all the presents and mail..." She started pacing. "All of this mess is on his fucking head."

"You really expect me to believe this?" Lavender asked with an expression of shocked disgust. "I know what people think of me but I'm not stupid enough to spread your rumours for you. The Ministry wouldn't allow Dumbledore back here if he'd done all that. Besides he's the Leader of the Light!" Her blue eyes bored into Li's brown. "He just wouldn't."

"I have proof in my dorm that your Lord of the 'Light' paid over four-thousand galleons to Cornelius Fudge in return for a blanket pardon against those crimes. Also, remember that Dumbledore is the only wizard You-Know-Who has ever feared, has control of the wards of Hogwarts along with a phoenix and would probably require another Lord to unseat him from this castle and the what the Ministry allows doesn't have much bearing." She sighed.

"So we get Lady Bones, or one of the other Lords to do it... There are plenty of them." Lavender said in exasperation.

"Magical Lords, Lav not appointed ones." Li started pacing. "It used to be that you couldn't live in England without being sworn to someone, there were so many; It's part of England's mystique and legacy, like the fae and Merlin. But if they ever existed they sure as hell don't any more, hell, half the people on the continent still believe they exist. As it stands, I'm not sure the entire Ministry could storm Hogwarts and succeed." Li looked away. "But the Headmaster's not our problem, he just caused it. He's only got another ten, twenty years left anyway."

Lavender watched the oriental women uneasily, gesturing for her to continue. "Our problem is that Harry isn't a wizard, he's a muggleborn with power, money and a lot of political and social capital. People will believe whatever he says because he's the Boy-Who-Lived and they don't know any better."

"What makes you say that?" Lavender asked curiously.

Li sighed, rubbing her temples. Using facts was apparently out, so it was time to try a different tactic. "Out of the three members of the former golden trio which of them would Harry listen to about politics?"

It suddenly clicked in the Gryffindor's head. She'd shared a dorm room with the quiet, studious bookworm for five long years. "Granger. He'd listen to Granger."

"Precisely, even if she's giving him accurate information and not angling to be the next Potter, all she has to go on are the books in Hogwarts library. There's no, well, reasoning in any of them. It's just like Harry's been acting, he knows the rules and has the arrogance but doesn't have the _history_." She looked almost frantic at this point. "It's no wonder he's acting so... weird. Did Parvati tell you that he gave her sister protection so she could get out of an arranged marriage? We've been arranging marriages for centuries but now since it's not what muggles do he'll view it as barbaric!"

"Is that so bad?" Lavender asked softly. "I mean, his father married a muggleborn and I've always wondered what it would be like to marry for love instead of, well, my families money."

Li sighed. "So you'd happily consign your children to being giftless? Little better than muggleborns in terms of magical power and ability?" Lavender looked away. "Precisely. Bones doesn't appear to be tempering him, not that I expected her too with her Aunt being head of the DMLE here." She shook her head at that. "As for the rest of his little, sudden, friendship group... His only other adviser would be Longbottom..." She trailed off showing her opinion of _his_ suitability.

"The squib." Lavender filled in for her, mid racing over possibilities and social connections. "He really is isolated isn't he?"

"And with his fortune and political power, he could destroy our society completely by accident." Li pointed out. "If he starts trying to do it intentionally which he might; just to piss Malfoy off. Then, well, having to rearrange the social pecking order of the House tables every day will seem like a holiday."

"Then why are you telling me about this?" Lavender's eyes pleaded.

"It's a risk, but after I got the true story from the Weasel I decided that someone had to undo the damage. We'd like your help in finding a way to do just that."

"How are you planning on doing that?"

"Talking to him, teaching him. Getting Granger and the others away from him. Maybe sullying his reputation if we have to. It's not pleasant but it needs to be done." Li had a resigned air about her as she discussed the last option.

Lavender sighed, considering her options. "Deal. Though I'm not sure how much help I'll be, Hermione doesn't sleep in the dorms anymore and they're only taking Transfiguration that I'm in."

"That anyone else is in." Su Li corrected. "They have private Arithmancy and Rune classes." She jerked her head to the door. "Come on let me introduce it to the others."

The girls left, buoyed by the feeling that they were doing something to make the world a more stable place. Unfortunately they were entering a war where the minimum entry requirement was a willingness to either kill your enemies or trap them on island with dementors for the rest of their life.

OoooOoooO

_8th October, The Great Hall _

Harry picked at his lunch, chewing the odd bit of salad with a frown. Snape was still alive and he really needed to do something about it. Poison had failed, his quarters were locked up tighter than someone who wasn't a curse-breaker could hope to crack without notice. Stabbing him in the corridor was certainly an idea but risky, very risky. In terms of being caught and the bastards' combat prowess, anyway. Of course duking it out the corridors had a certain appeal to it but the chances of being seen were too high.

They couldn't afford to lay their cards on the table while they still needed access to the castle and the ability to walk around in public. Shaking his head, Harry went back to thinking about the latest rune sets his girls had started developing for their rituals... There was an amusing one that Hermione had come up with which they hoped would remove the need for support in a bra. He'd found that little amusing.

Harry froze as his fingers wrapped round the goblet by his plate. In the wash of magical signatures and flares that was he had to turn his magical sensitivity down as far as he could but Pumpkin juice was not meant to have a magical signature. Closing his eyes, Harry explored it with his minds, ignoring the wash of charms on the goblet. It wasn't any love potion he knew and that meant it could have been poison. He couldn't even identify bits of unmixed ingredients which meant... He picked the goblet up to look at the reflection of the head table, the old fool was staring at him like he was an insect pinned to a board. Dumbledore was definitely responsible.

Pretending to take a drink from the offending goblet and placing it calmly down next to the food he turned... Hermione was already on her way to the Slytherin table, he grabbed her goblet. Definitely a trace of something. He all but jumped out of seat, eyes narrowing to slits. "Neville, grab Luna and meet us up in the room." Turning, Harry stormed out, ignorant of the wave of rumours, hushed looks and blushes the flaring of his aura caused behind him.

He had other things to worry about, like focusing on the need to have his girls come to him. They'd told him about the summoning effect but he'd never needed to know how until now. Back in the hall, a neglected, downtrodden and grumbling Ron Weasley muttered darkly about being left out of everything this year and decided to claim Harry's food as payment. Blinking, he gazed down the table to Ginny with a puzzled expression as the goblet clanged against the table, spilling its last drop. "Say, Gin, you done something with your hair?"

OoooOoooO

Daphne had one hell of a headache. Something was messing with her mind, but she couldn't identify what. There was something about Nott and it faded in and out like a bloody compulsion charm. Finite hadn't managed to fix it, and her nipples were damn hard so... The rest of the table had gone quiet. Moist breath warmed her cheek as bushy brown hair nuzzled into the crook of her neck.

"Were are we hiding this?" Hermione asked loud enough for the people next to Daphne to hear as she slid a hand up the barely older girls top. "I want you." She breathed.

Daphne's Occlumancy barriers cracked, teetered and seized up under the unnatural load of lust from two sources that flooded her body as her Sister's coven tattoo touched her skin. Trying to keep her heavy breathing under control she attempted a glare at the disgusted looks she was getting. "Draco," She managed to get out with a bit of ever. "If I ever find out you're behind the love potions in both of our meals I will kill you and destroy your Name."

The boy paled and she rose with all the grace she could muster, Hermione draped over her like a fine piece of jewellery. "Now excuse me while I get an antidote." Daphne managed a smirk. "For myself of course." Behind her the rest of the Slytherin watched the know-it-all bookworm's eyes go wide.

Her almost questioning _"Mistress?" _caused an influx of people shifting on their seats as the they watched Slytherin's Ice Queen lead _the_ Lioness away. As far as their upbringing was concerned witch on witch action was immoral and disgusting, as far as their imaginations were concerned it was one hell of a turn on.

An old man with a long white beard toasted himself for a job well done. The Greengrass girl had been shooting the appropriate looks at a proper match for her bloodline and Granger just humiliated herself in front of the entire school as well as making Harry go off in a huff. Why, even Pomona had commented on it! With Potter's goblet empty as well he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Today was a good day indeed. After the fiasco with the prophecy and the Black will he needed a good bit of success. Now, how could he brief the Weasley girl on what was expected of her. After he'd dealt with Peeves latest round of mishaps, the board, the Ministry and whatever crap the ICW had decided he needed to refute today. Merlin, he barely had time to even think on Hogwarts matters these days.

OoooOoooO

Harry took in the others eyes as they burst through the door to the room of requirements. The five girls were mostly out of breath after sprinting up seven floors to catch up with him and Hermione and Daphne weren't there. He ruthlessly crushed his apprehension under barriers of steel. "First off, is everyone okay?" They nodded as a group. "No strange feelings, pains?" Another nod. "It might have just been me and Hermione then, does anyone know where she and Daphne are?"

Blaise nodded, undoing a couple of buttons on her shirt as she shifted uncomfortably. "I passed them on the way here, Hermione was apparently hit by a love potion so Daphne had to stun and levitate her. They should be here soon."

Harry sighed, the tension seeping out of him. "Thank Merlin for that. I wasn't sure if it was a love potion or something worse." Susan blushed, muttering something that had Padma turning the same colour. Hannah rolled her eyes from beside the pair.

"What Susan's here meant to say..." Hannah cut in quickly before the others could actually pose that question. "Is that it might have been a lust potion as well, seeing as how we all wanted to jump your bones earlier, it's hard to keep emotions you enjoy under a barrier. I am so very glad I know spells that disconnect me from feeling." The others glared at her and she smirked. "I told you last week you should try and learn some theurgy. You never know when you might need to deal with a ghost or spirit based creature."

"If the spell you cast at Peeves on the way here was theurgic, I'm really not sure I want to know it." Padma looked a little pale at the thought. "His entrails were being dragged along the floor... and you kept hitting him with spells after that!"

"He'll recover!" Hannah protested, turning to Harry. "I just altered his nature a little afterwards. Serves him right for coating the floor of that corridor in ice anyway." Everyone else was looking at her with a shocked expression. "What, no one will notice, will they?"

"What did we miss?" Neville and Luna emerged through the entrance portal, bringing their conversation back on topic.

"Dumbledore attempted to dose me, Hermione and possibly Daphne with a combined love and lust potion." Harry said uneasily. "From what I felt, it's probably a synthesised alchemical concoction. Hopefully the both of you are okay?"

Neville nodded as Luna gazed off into the distance and cocked her head to the side. "Amortentia might have induced the wrong kind of love, so..." She blinked and shrugged. "I'm fairly sure we're fine, Dumbledore did tell Daddy he approved after all. Made me want to vomit that did, maybe that would get rid of it..." She twirled, turning to gaze up at Neville. "I don't think we should be here for that. So... we're just going to head off to arrange some hip flasks for us to drink from so the Headbastard doesn't get any _ideas_." Her eyes glinted like steel. "Right Neville?"

"Sounds good to me." Her boyfriend said after a moments thought. Luna beamed up at him and without waiting for anything started dragging him back out to the seventh floor corridor. "Have fun." He yelled back after him.

Harry blinked. Someday he'd work out how Luna managed to be so insightful, scary and driven at the same time. That day was not today. Then Daphne carried Hermione into the room, Padma quickly recasting the levitation charm as the blond Slytherin threw herself at him.

Passion and need sparked across their skin as their tongues entwined. He was in heaven, running his hand up the back of her shirt before tingle of the potion's magic snapped him back to the present. Daphne was _his_.

Daphne broke off the kiss as her Lord froze as solid as a statue, she hadn't wanted to control herself and her will had failed for just a second and now he was probably going into shock... Tension broiled across her body as her eyes diluted. The very essence of him enveloped her completely, it was... Indescribable. And terrifying. And it went on.

And on.

It stopped being scary.

She hadn't realised what their oaths had meant before now: He owned her and at that moment a large part of her just wanted to give in and let him take care of everything as his magic flowed through her as though she were his wand. The feeling seeped away like an ocean tide and she closed her eyes as she felt hurt by its withdrawal. "Better?" Harry asked softly. She nodded, falling into him. His hand rubbed wrinkles up and down her back. It was just like wearing clothes. Daphne blinked. Why did she think she wasn't wearing clothes?

Harry smiled hesitantly as Daphne snapped out of her little funk and looked back up at him. "Warn me before you do that, please?" She asked with glistening eyes.

"I'm sorry." Harry wasn't quite sure which bit of it he was apologising for but as Daphne snuggled into him, it seemed like the it had been the right thing to do.

"What the hell was that?" Erin asked a little nervously from the sidelines as the awkward silence got too much. "Because, there was some strange feelings echoing down the bond."

"I was just transmuting the potion in her bloodstream." Harry explained as best he could. "It's something you learn to do as part of alchemy, unfortunately it takes a while. Nothing in alchemy is fast."

Padma frowned for a moment as the Daphne stepped back and started to adjust her clothes. "But you'd have to fight her magic to get through to it - you can't just go through people's magic like that without it resisting. Can you?"

Harry deflated a little. "As far as... whatever determines magic is concerned the seven of you are, for want of a better word, mine. I don't need to add you to my wards, you can't keep me out of yours, I probably don't even need to breach your Occlumency barriers if I tried." He shrugged. "It feels almost as if you're power is just an extension of mine." There was silence for a moment.

"Well, we did kind of swear everything we are to you, so it kind of makes sense." Padma said a little edgily from the side lines. "It was still scary."

"I scared you?" Harry looked nervous at that.

"Only for the first few seconds." Daphne said, refusing to meet his eye. "It got better after that." Blaise giggled, only to be silenced by a glare.

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Harry's eyes dragged towards his favorite's floating form. "Right, well, I guess I should sort out Hermione whilst she's still stunned."

OoooOoooO

Hermione's lashes flickered over chocolate brown orbs as she frowned at her friends standing over her. "You alright there?" Daphne asked from the sidelines.

"I'm fine-" Then it struck her and her eyes widened. "Merlin, I'm really sorry. I don't know what came over me, I-"

"Don't worry about it, the three of us were hit by love potions. It's going to make things awkward but not unbearable." Harry reassured her with a smile. "Yours was keyed to Daphne."

"But I should have smelled it. Amortentia has a really distinct smell..." She trailed off as her master reached a hand down to help her up.

"It wasn't a known potion. Dumbledore spends so much time being incompetent we forget what he's really capable off." Harry said, running a hand through his hair whilst the other pulled her closer to him. Hermione grinned and obliged him, taking a nice long smell of his scent. "I don't know who my potion was keyed to, Daphne?"

She looked to the side. "Nott. I have never been so glad of the loyalty bond until today." She sighed at Harry's raised eyebrow. "We gave ourselves to you, so well... No one else is sexually attractive. At all." She stopped herself there. It wouldn't do to put forth the idea that he could give them permission to, err, _like_ someone else as that would probably end badly...

"So Hermione's attraction to you didn't count because you also belong to me?" Harry sighed as the pair of them blushed in response and Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Now what?" Hannah asked in the silence. "Dumbledore's made his move on you and he keeps trying to get Susan alone for some reason. We need to do something."

"There's no evidence for a legal trial and leaving isn't an option." Harry stated slowly. "Right now, fighting him as a group is too risky and he's an alchemist, charms master and obviously paranoid so assassination isn't going to work." He grimaced. "We need to start undermining him more than we are right now." He nodded to himself. "Daphne, work out how we can use the Quibbler to our advantage. Hannah, if we have to fight Dumbledore Fawkes will be a problem. If there's something that can delay or deal with a phoenix, I want you to find it or invent it. Whichever is easier." He trailed off. "The rest will have to wait till after Christmas."

Blaise looked almost pained and glared at him. "So we're just going to sit back and carry on hiding?" She leant forward taking a step towards him. "Let him have this shot at us for free? I thought you were trying to get rid of Snape and get us out of Slytherin?"

"Blaise..." The violet eyed charms mistress' glare swapped to Daphne.

"Don't you start. If we weren't bonded to him, you'd be that fucking gits love slave by now. We saw what happened to Hermione, damn it we _felt_ what happened to both of you and just because it didn't work we're going to do nothing? We can't let this go on. We need to do something." Her finger prodded Harry's chest hard.

"What would you have me do?" He asked with no inflection, looking down at her angry violet eyes. "What can we do?"

She blinked, shivered and swallowed. The corners of her eyes glistened. "Nothing." She said with a sad finality. "And that scares me."

"Blaise, you're such a Gryffindor." Daphne's tempered wit snapped the tension and filled the room with giggles. Blaise's head rested against Harry's chest as he ran a comforting hand up and down her back.

"I think it's time we hid the marks with a Fidelius, if you think you can pull it off. Then we'll work on getting the house change charm working for us." The girls looked a little shocked at that. "Nam pessimus." He quoted in Latin. _Prepare for the worst._

"I'll need a large space and a drawn circle." Blaise snuggled into his chest a little more. "And we'll have to try and group cast it, I'm not powerful enough alone."

Their Lord smirked and hissed at the air as a small wave of energy washed over them. A door on the side of the room swung open. Padma gasped as the group took in the cool marble room with a large circle carved into the floor. A ring of quickened silver shimmered and rippled as it flowed in the circular crack along the floor. Bottles of the stuff lay along the outer edges and diagrams of the enhancement rite littered the walls. A few worn down incense sticks littered the walls.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me." Harry said with a snort. "I need more silver, we've run out."

"All it needs is a fire-pit and we've perfect ritual site." Padma remarked idly then turned to Harry with narrowed eyes. "This would make my research a lot easier."

"After we've done the enhancement rites it's all yours. Until then, Hermione and I need to spend a lot of time etching runes into the floor."

"Okay" Blaise commanded, taking control of the situation. "Everyone in the coven needs to stand on the circle and join hands. I'm going to need you to channel power to me if I stand a chance of doing this." She explained as everyone started moving around her. "Harry, you're in the middle, when I finish the spell and touch my wand to your forehead I need you to drop your occlumentic barriers. You're the only person here eligible to be the secret keeper. Got it?" Harry nodded and took his place.

He stood there and watched as their charms mistress drew runes in the air with her wand, Erin's hand anchored to her shoulder, as the air began to glow. It was very similar to Battle-Magic spells, a carefully spun web of runes to channel and hold the power as it was cast. But the one spell he'd half-attempted had runes flying from the specialised wand at a much faster pace, the path of the wand in that case was more important to the overall structure than drawing the runes themselves because the wand drew entire clusters in the air for you. He was so caught up with the similarities that he completely missed the chant and barely lowered his shield in time for the world to go white.

"I have... one hell of headache." Harry announced once sparks had stopped dancing in the corner of his eyes.

"Well, did it work?" Padma asked nervously, running a glittering silver-laced hand through her hair. "I know you're supposed to be the secret keeper for something but I can't quite remember what."

"Padma-" He caught himself before the secret pushed itself out of his head. Looking away from them he took a few breaths to steady himself. It felt like the damn thing was alive inside his head and it wanted out. "Harry Potter's Inner Circle are members of a Coven." He stated and it stopped struggling to escape for the moment. There were gasps of realisation as he snorted. "This isn't as easy to keep as I thought it would be."

"Well, I'm not casting that thing again." Blaise pulled herself back into a sitting position from where she'd fallen to the floor. "My arse hurts and I feel like I've been enduring Harry's idea of training for two hours straight." She looked up humourlessly. "Once I've got the energy, I'm going to bed. Hey!" She snapped out as Harry bent down to pick her up. "Charm's lessons aren't happening, put me down!"

Hermione couldn't help but smile at the mock amusement filling the room as they left to a more comfortable place.

Oooo **/ WARNING / **oooO

"Where the hell is he?" Lavender said through gritted teeth. "We've checked his room, the library, the common room, the Quidditch pitch... not even point me is working." She glared at the walls of the fourth floor corridor. "This is the perfect bloody opportunity and we're missing it!"

"Seamus and Dean have no idea where he is and Neville is also missing." Paravati said timidly. "Maybe Padma would..." The other two witches turned away from her and started having their own conversation. Every time she'd mentioned her sister to them they'd shunned her. It hurt.

"We need to find him before he makes up with her. A reaction like that can't be natural be we need to convince him it is..." Su Li's hands grasped thin air. "Fate throws us the perfect opportunity and now what?"

"Looking for Harry, ladies?" The three of them spun round to see Malfoy stalking towards them. "I've been trying to find him as well." He gave a self-deprecating sigh as the two Gryffindor's started glaring at him. "I'm amazed I didn't see Weasley's ploy for what it was, insulting me from the moment I greeted him and forced me to retaliate. Harry... really doesn't appreciate it when you attack his _friends._" He bit the last word out sarcastically.

"What do you want Malfoy? You hate him." Lavender spat back at him. The young man looked away.

"I hate what he has been forced to become. Now... I just pity him." The Malfoy scion continued, taking careful note of their reactions. "I think... I think I made a great mistake all those years ago, and can only claim the arrogance of youth as to how I didn't see this mess we find ourselves in." He sighed, "I've heard of what you're trying to do and I want to help."

Parvati saw the two girls looking at each other and started backing away. Didn't they realise he was just telling them what they wanted to hear? And if she said that, it would just make it worse, it always did with Slytherins, the bloody gits. "Count me out of this." She said softly, backing away down the corridor.

The three started chatting behind her as she left, Millie and some of the other girls in their little conspiracy passing her in the corridors. The staircase changed as she was on it, swapping the routes to lead from the classrooms to the great hall. It summed up her life, going downhill and so out of control she didn't know what to do any more

She had that little sickening feeling in her gut as she headed for lunch. This wasn't a war. War was two sides meeting on a battlefield with one of them emerging victorious like in a duel. This was something that Padma had read in her obsession for history muggle or wizarding. _'They called it total war, every man women and child considered a part of the enemies forces, something to be destroyed. Their bombs raining down on London and killing people in their thousands.'_

She snorted. _'Muggles can do that?' _had been her ignorant response and her sister had just nodded.

'_Scary isn't it? Mundane methods will just kill people, wizards can do far more terrifying things. I really hope it doesn't come to that.' _She shivered, when Hogwarts had started she'd been _happy _to be sorted away from her sister. Her sweet wonderful sister who'd become darker and older whilst she'd stayed the childish young gossip.

"It wasn't worth it." She told the world sharply. "It wasn't fucking worth it!" Her voice echoed down the empty stone corridor.

"Hel-mmggg." Was yelled back, freezing her in place. Then her mind caught up with her and she started running.

"Admit it, you want this as much as I do-" There was a boy pressing someone into an alcove.

"_Stupefy!_" Her slightly pink shot went wide as she carried on closing the distance and he turned, were those Gryffindor robes? Merlin. "_Stupefy._" The bolt of red slapped into his arm as she slowed to a walk, panting heavily, the boy swayed for a moment and bit off the curse again, sending him to the floor.

There was a crack as the girl kicked him in the head, holding her robe closed across her body. Parvati watched the blood spew from his nose as she finally recognised the bright red hair and freckled face. "That... That's Ron Weasley..." She stuttered out, not quite believing it. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know..." Ginny replied with a spaced out look, searching her brother's body for a wand, finding his fat and bogey covered lump of willow along with her own. Her back slammed into the wall as her eyes went wide. "It's him... I... thought it was polyjuice. I..." She looked up, trembling at the other Gryffindor. "I..." Her wand clattered to the floor as she hugged herself tight.

Paravati looked at the young girl nervously. "I'm going to get a teacher, I'll be right back." Ginny looked up to see her saviour darting towards the great hall.

"No. Don't... leave me." She tried pitifully, staring at the unconscious body of her brother as silent tears trailed down the side of her nose.

That was how Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Dumbledore found her, with Parvati trailing behind them. Ginny only looked up as a flick of McGonagall's wand fixed the clothes under her robe and Flitwick bound and levitated Ron.

"I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding." Dumbledore said with a smile as his eyes twinkled.

"My brother tried to rape me Professor. Misunderstand that." Ginny spat at him, the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes died as his gift let him _know_ the truth of her statement.

"I think a trip to hospital wing is in order for both of them." Filius stepped in as the voice of reason. "Miss Weasley could certainly use a calming draught right now and we need to check him for controlling potions and polyjuice before calling the Aurors."

Dumbledore didn't respond, thoughts and plans spinning in his head. His gut told him that Ron wasn't capable of such a thing, which would lead him to believe that he was under the influence of a potion very similar to the one Harry had been given. Oh well, unlike his concoction whatever prank this was would show up on his Mediwitch's scans and he could go back to consolidating his plans.

OoooOoooO

"His system's negative for both polyjuice and love potions, though something has certainly elevated his libido. It's not a curse or potion that I can detect so it's possibly a muggle drug?" Madame Pomfrey was clutching at straws and she knew it. "Thank Merlin he barely tore her clothes, I have no idea what that would have done to his fertility."

"Are you sure of this Poppy?" Dumbledore's kind voice was echoed by the charm Parvati was maintaining behind the treatment curtain. Ginny's face getting paler and paler with each word spoken.

"Quite." He sighed and she continued warily. "I'm assuming you're going to order me not to report this, like the Potter incidents?"

"Yes, it's for the Greater Good. I'm sure he was under some form of compulsion at the time, possibly the imperious." Dumbledore replied. "We'll have to obliviate Ginevra but that is probably for the best. This would ruin their family if it came out."

Paravati was backing away from the screen as her own eyes widened. "Well at least we agree on something. You are going to ask her first aren't you? Aren't you?"

"Run." Ginny whispered, as her Housemate made for the exit. "Quickly, write everything down and tell me later." Nodding, Parvati went to leave.

Ginny relaxed as the 'gossip's godsend' charm dissolved before Dumbledore reached her bedside. She had a moment to feel disgusted at his smug grandfatherly smile before everything went black.

Three hours later she was wondering what sort of row she'd gotten into that had resulted in both her and her brother ending up in the hospital. It was probably over something ridiculous... There was a bit of parchment in her pocket that she didn't remember putting there. _'You've been obliviated, don't trust Dumbledore or Ron.' _was scrawled hastily in her own handwriting. _'Trust Parvati' _was scrawled on the other side. The uneasy feeling in her stomach lurched back into full force.

Oooo **/ WARNING ENDS /** oooO

_10th October, Harry's Domain_

"Remember what Daphne said about spell acceleration, practice the spell until you can cast it reflexively, you should be able to cast and shield before a stupefy reaches you." Harry sent another stinging curse, diving to the side as cutting charm smashed into the ward behind him. His own stinging charm hit him on the nose as Blaise point-redirected it from the sidelines. "I guess I deserved that." He muttered in amusement.

"Is this the end of section five?" Neville asked, wiping some of the sweat off his brow. Harry winced.

"Apart from vanishing any signs you've been in combat at the end of the duel, that pretty much concludes the final lesson of theatrical duelling; making it look easy." He bowed. "Now I've got to work out what else I can actually teach you other than a bunch of dark arts or telling you to brainstorm ways of using combined charms and transfiguration." He looked a little sheepish, scratching the back of his head. "I can't guarantee you'll be able to beat Riddle or Dumbledore but you should be able to escape if they draw on you." The girls relaxed as a group, the fear that had lingered since the potion incident fading away as Susan started to believe she might be able to relax outside their sanctuary.

"What about Battle magic?" Daphne asked flipping up her slender, metal engraved wand with and studying it with curiosity. "Have you managed to get anywhere with that yet?"

Harry looked away and flicked his wand to dismiss the remains of conjured dummied and props they'd been using. "I tried one spell, they use a lot of energy are nefariously complex - though that's not much of a problem if you memorize them and are willing to cast vocally. The thing is they're just not safe to attempt in here or in the castle. There's one really nice spell which is essentially a very nasty version of finite incantatem which could be useful for wards." Harry looked at them. "As for the rest; no one is going to let you stand still for thirty seconds to cast an unknown spell at them."

"That makes them very situational. How big a range do they have?" Daphne asked with a frown.

"In some cases, miles." Harry said and Neville whistled in appreciation. "Yeah, there a few enhancement charms and other things that are designed to be cast on groups of people we might be able to practice but if we get something wrong a trip the hospital wing is unlikely to fix it." He shrugged. "Learning a few charms to deal with wraiths or spirits will probably be more useful but I'll show you what I've worked out so far. Thus endeth the lesson. Who's teaching next?"

"No one, you idiot." Blaise smirked at him. "Not all of us can keep work for an entire day without breaks." Harry had the grace to look abashed at that. "It's time to relax, trawl the library for books we don't understand and try and maybe pursue a self-study into getting a mastery like back when those were taught at Hogwarts." She stopped. "What?" Everyone carried on looking at her. "I was being sarcastic, you all know that Hermione's going to do that, I'm going to end up having a game of something with Neville- possibly a transfiguration competition, Luna will be busy trying to do minor rituals with Padma, Daphne will meditate and Hannah will be... doing whatever Hannah does now she's not sneaking off to cast Dark Spells every hour or two and Harry will be brewing potions, etching runes or just brooding in general. We've spent the last two and a half years training for at least eight hours a day. Not a single one of us knows how to have _fun_."

Nine eyes stared at Blaise as though she'd gone completely mad. Before the corners of Harry's mouth twitched up and he started chuckling. "Challenge accepted."

_Ten minutes past curfew, near the Slytherin Common Rooms_

"I swear that if you don't stop grinning like Luna in loony mode I will hex you." Blaise tried to snap off at her Sister as they made their way back to the dungeons. "Three bloody weeks of ignoring the lot of us in favour of prepping for your ritual and then this happens." That she could snarl.

"You're just jealous you couldn't enjoy the feelings to their fullest; Hermione held my hand the entire way through, and they transmitted perfectly by the silly grin on her face." Mrs. Norris poked her head round the corner and glared at them. Neither of them broke stride as Daphne's silent stunner knocked the cat off its feet. It was a reflex, really.

"Well, that would have required being naked, possibly tied up and whatever other things the two of you got up to with him in there. I was also helping Hannah with the rune-carving charm we were supposed to have finished last week for the wand project. All I say is thank Merlin it got her to unwind a little at least. She's starting to be as jumpy as a Unicorn near a brothel." Blaise sighed. "It was just a massage, anyway; it can't have been that good."

Daphne blushed, eyes drifting off into the distance. Blaise took one look at her expression and raised an eyebrow. "I am so hexing you when we get back to the dorm."

"It was just a massage." Daphne defended quickly. "He's just a very quick study and he was experimenting at the time. Testing out his aura and ability to sense magic. He just knows when to stop now so I don't feel violated." She slid the violet eyed younger girl. "When he starts doing it to you make sure he uses his right hand for the important bits."

Blaise started shaking her head and lengthened her pace. "I'm being serious." Daphne said as she kept pace down the stairs. "The rune circle embedded in it does funky things to his aura when he channels through it."

"I swear, if I ever end up as... as... sappy as you are right now I'll take myself outside and cast a reducto on my head." The sharp burst of anxiety down their link preceded Daphne's gasp by mere moments and it made the younger Slytherin chuckle. "You are way too easy sometimes Daph."

"Don't even suggest that. Do you have any idea what loosing you would do to me?" She snapped suddenly.

"No, but we're here and it was the quickest way to get that grin off your face." Blaise stopped as they turned the last corner into the dungeons proper. "Why do we still sleep here?" She asked mournfully.

"Because the others don't sleep in their dorms and even idiots can occasionally add two and two together to create a balanced heterodyne instead of a square." Daphne said irritably, delving into the insults Arithmancers used for those outside their profession and their belief that mathematical operations only had one result. "Less than two weeks before it becomes stupidly obvious and we can join the others in our dorms. _Latens virtus_."

The portrait entrance they were using slid sideways with a faint hiss to allow them passage into the shadowy depths of the common room. The first thing they heard as the silencing ward washed across their skin was a whimper. A pained whimper.

Wands flicked into their hands as they stalked down their staircase. It came out onto the far end of the room, between two flickering skull-candles with the fire directly opposite. Blond hair shimmered in the firelight. The silhouettes of Crabbe and Goyle blocked their view of whoever he was standing over.

"There's no need to cry." Pansy's voice came from the other side of the trio. Daphne's eyes found Blaise's, the lack of other students meant that Snape had cleared whatever they were doing and the older Death Eater's kids would be patrolling the dorms. "All you need to do is sign and you won't need to worry about your lack of friends or the insults, the injuries. They'll all just disappear, because we won't have to worry about you polluting the world with your filthy blood or lies any more I won't even play with you _too_ hard."

Blaise tapped her wand to the top of her head and invisibility washed over her body like a slimy bath. Intervening now wouldn't stop what they had planned and would just draw- Daphne paused mid-cast. "So you'll just whore me out to everyone instead. Go fuck yourselves, I'll die first."

That was Tracey, how the hell had she missed this? Daphne's mind whirred, flicking back over the politics of the last month, she hadn't been here enough to notice anything amiss- "As if I would use a concubine of House Malfoy so callously." Draco stated icily. "Unlike my betrothed I'm not so certain this is the best option but I would advise you to consider it. You are..." The back of his head moved up and down. "Rather attractive for a mudblood."

"The fuck?" Daphne asked herself. Tracey was half and half. Three wands pointed at her. Malfoy smirked.

"Ah, the lesbian. Nice of you to join us Greengrass." He stepped to the side, revealing Tracey - her arms tied behind her back and her legs pinned together by ropes, blazer and skirt strewn behind her as Pansy pulled her up for inspection, her other hand up Tracey's shirt. Their only decent Housemate looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

"And you have the gall to call me a lesbian?" Daphne forced herself to respond, dumping a lump of magical energy into her Occlumency and fixing her posture to that of the Ice Queen of Hogwarts.

"Don't be so harsh. Pansy was simply illustrating the benefits of having a concubine to me. Not that this concerns you since your father turned away my offer." Malfoy's eyes had the briefest spark of red dancing in their depths as he stepped forwards. "You wouldn't have anything to do with everyone else turning me down would you?"

Pathetic had been one of the best words to describe Malfoy for years and pathetic was just the word to describe his pitiful attempts at Legillimancy. Slamming down the connection he'd opened Daphne's highly focused and disciplined mind carved into a world built of jealousy buoyed by the euphoria of power and dark arts. Plans of unleashing the Dark Lord's hordes on the school flashed past, some successful, some not. The look on a defeated caricature of _her_ Harry as he, the great Malfoy gloated. _Figments of imagination, _she pushed on. Torture for failing to find the hidden room with a vanishing cabinet. Being forced to marry Pansy instead of securing alliances as rejection after rejection came. A flash of Hermione.

The connection snapped as Malfoy fell forward to the floor and Daphne paused, not even realising she'd been advancing. "Try and mind rape me again Malfoy and I'll make your current headache look like a love-tap." She snapped off as the goons looked nervously in his direction.

"She knows." He managed to get out between gasps.

"Knows what? That you're a slave to some insane half-blood who enjoys torturing his minions out of some idiotic inferiority complex?" Daphne asked, laughing cynically. "The entire castle knows that, you idiots. Imagine what your master will do when he finds you've been torturing a half-blood for no good reason."

"She's not a halfblood." Malfoy spat. "She lied, Davis is an old name but her father's a god-dammed muggle and her mother's a mudblood. Born of the earth, stealing magic from the rest of us." He ranted to himself, struggling to patch his mind back together after her intrusion. "So she's nothing, _nothing. _And the Davis family is dead because the family magic wouldn't let her take the name otherwise. Concubine is a lot better than anything she'll get elsewhere, right Pansy?" Malfoy turned round. "Pansy?"

Daphne's stunner caught him in the back. Goyle was hit by one from down near Tracey and Crabbe- had muttered the first syllable of some curse before being hit by two others. "_Finite Incantatum._" Blaise cast verbally for the first time in the fight and a hand shimmered into existence over Tracey's mouth as her bonds withered and unravelled into nothing. "You're not going to scream are you?"

The scared girl shook her head, starting to hyperventilate as soon as the hand was removed scrabbling away from the pair of them and Pansy's stunned body. Blaise shrugged as the rest of the disilussionment charm failed. "Well, that went surprisingly well." She said sarcastically.

Tracey's shaking hands hurried to clip her skirt back on and get her arms into her robe. "W-what do you want?" She asked nervously. "You don't want me to- to-"

Daphne got what she was getting at and blinked. "Merlin no, I don't even like girls. Normally." She sighed, stopping herself from digging an even larger hole. "I'm in a relationship anyway. Look, me and Blaise are getting the hell out of Slytherin - do you want to join us?"

"You are? How?" She asked, apparently calming down a little. "Snape- will know Daph, they'll kill me when they wake up." Blaise walked over, giving her back her wand and handing her a calming draught. She drank it without even asking what it was. She had the briefest moment to look shocked before the draught took effect. "It tastes like strawberry!"

Daphne couldn't stop herself giggling. After everything she'd been through, it was such a mundane thing to be surprised at. "Yeah, that's one of my boyfriends' potions." Her eyes hardened. "Snape knowing is the only reason we haven't killed these little shits and hidden the bodies. If you and Blaise start packing your stuff, I'll go and get 'Stori. There's no one else here we care about, is there?"

The blank looks on both of their faces told her enough. "There might still be the two seventh year prefects around." Blaise warned, tapping her wand to her head and turned invisible once more. Tracey managed the disillusionment on the third verbal attempt. Smiling Daphne turned towards the entrance to their dorms. "Shall we girls?"

OoooOoooO

"_Obliviate._" Daphne callously wiped the last ten minutes from Filch's mind as the other five girls levitated their trunks past them.

"Are you sure this is a good idea sis?" Astoria whispered nervously as they left him behind. "The twins will never forgive me if this goes wrong."

Daphne snorted. "Relax, we used him to practice the charm all of last year and were never caught." She shook her head. "He's a squib fighting magic users, he can't do anything. The curfew really isn't enforceable."

"I was talking about leaving Slytherin; Snape'll still be our Head of House, so he can assign us detentions and everything. He can force us to do all kinds of things if we want to stay here and he finds out." Astoria carried on, looking around nervously.

Daphne flicked her wand and her trunk caught up. "Snape isn't going to be a problem for much longer." She tried to assure her younger sister. "And I am never going back there again, so neither are you. Blaise, why don't you go ahead and get our Lord. We'll be in the unused classroom by the statue of Sir Filibuster." The violet eyed girl nodded and split off down another corridor as they reached the sixth floor.

"Your Lord?" One of Astoria's friends asked nervously. "I thought you said this was going to be safe!" She exclaimed. Scowling, Daphne turned to see the two twins rounding on her sister.

"Enough you two, you can still back out now if you want. This isn't the Death Eaters or Dumbledore's little Order. We're not going to force you into choosing a side." Her trunk dropped onto the ground as they entered the classroom. "Now, why don't you all take a seat and let me explain. The first thing I'll need to do is test your Occlumency barriers."

The two twins got even paler as Daphne conjured orbs of coldfire to light the room and sat down on her trunk. "What's Occlumency?" Tracey asked a little edgily and Daphne sighed, that comment alone was enough to make her as a first or second generation.

"That magical art of mental enhancement and defence. You didn't honestly believe counter-curses where the only way to resist compulsion charms, did you? It also stops Dumbledore and Snape from rooting around inside our heads." She explained with a sigh. "I guess Susan will have to teach you the spell to conjure sunglasses so they can't make eye contact."

"Susan..." One of the twins said, leaning forward as her sister smiled to herself. "That means your with Harry Potter." The other continued as the first chuckled. "We're in." They finished together.

Daphne blinked and turned to her sister. "Trust you to make friends with the Slytherin version of the Weasley twins."

"Hey, we don't get caught!" They protested together.

The corner of Daphne's lip twitched up at the side as she suppressed a smile. "Blaise is just going to love you two." Sighing she leant back against cold stone. "Right, I guess it's up to me to explain what's going to happen now."

OoooOoooO

Harry paused in the atrium, focusing on the feel of Hermione and 'pulling' for want of a better word. "I've thought of a two ways around the castle restrictions. The first was in the charter Padma found in the library and the second involves channelling the charm with a domination rune cluster added." He flexed the circle of off-colour gold in his palm warily. "Hopefully, one of them will work."

"I hope you're right about that, otherwise things might get interesting." Blaise said softly. "Not that they aren't already."

A door opened behind them and they spun, wands pointing at a blurry eyed Hermione wearing only one of Harry's shirts. "Yes Master?" She asked without really opening her eyes.

"I need the book on Lordship bonds and you wearing some clothes." She blinked, woke up a little, blushed, turned and fled back into the dorms. Blaise giggled.

"I was sleeping, okay? You can stop laughing now." Hermione snapped as they were stepping through the engraving of herself as Blind Justice. Harry couldn't stop himself grinning as his non-wand hand snaked round her back and held her tight.

"It's okay." He whispered in her ear. "I did want you to come as soon as possible." She blushed bright red and stiffened at the thought. Chuckling, Harry extended his palm to one of the castle walls. "_I, Harry James Potter do hereby claim the right of residence for myself and my followers as long as they study here, so Mote it Be._" The sigils etched into his palm glowed a faint gold colour as a soft chime could be heard through the corridor.

"Well, that looks like it may have worked." A click of his fingers and his wand was in his hand and tracing out the complex pattern he'd learnt from Blaise. "_Millus C'tharnis Nullus Officium"_

The crest unravelled from Hermione's over-robe, followed by the lining and highlights changing back to the plain black they were before her sorting a good five years ago. He smiled.

"It actually-" CRACK. Blaise was interrupted by the loud appearance of a house elf.

"Here is Miss Granger's things now she is no longer being resident of Gryffindor Tower and castle does not know her new sleepy place." It reported happily before dissapearing with another loud crack. The three of them looked at the pile of small objects and clothes it had left behind, blinked and stared at each other.

"Well that was unexpected." Harry stated nervously. "I don't suppose you could expand a pocket to put your stuff in until we get everything else sorted out?"

Hermione nodded and started summoning them before they started walking again. "I guess House affiliation does a lot more than just the colour on your robes. Do you think Snape will still be able to take points from us tomorrow?" She asked and Harry shrugged.

"It doesn't really matter much." He stated idly as they walked down the staircase to the sixth floor. "Now, I asked you along because I have no idea what sort of bond would be best to use here."

"I thought you were against bonding people?" Blaise asked whilst Hermione mulled over the question.

"In principle, yes, but they're going to be sleeping in our dorms and have access to our very powerful library. I need to be able to trust them for that. Trust them against compulsion and imperius, to stop them copying the information for someone else." Harry's eyes looked off into the distance before he shrugged. "Also, the house change charm won't work if I don't have a bond with them because I've claimed the authority to remove my followers from a House. It's this or staying in Slytherin."

Blaise looked away at that, as Hermione started flicking through her book. "An apprentice bond would probably work best." She passed the relevant page of the book to Harry. Lordship bonds were all identical in nature, but the wording and intent behind the the agreement was important, as was the stated release conditions; as they dictated what could be asked of a follower. It also effected the blending of whatever it was that keyed people into wards and quite possibly other things.

This time round he was determined to be the offerer of the bond, so that he could dictate the terms, not the people he was being bound to. The number of times he'd been caught out by that was annoying. The book wasn't so much a collection of rules as a compendium of ideas and examples of how the bonds had worked in the past. Shaking his head he followed the girls into where the others were waiting.

A smile lit Daphne's face as she noticed him walk in. "Right on time, I've just finished explaining things."

Harry sighed as he examined the four girls he didn't know. "Are Neville and I doomed to be the only boys in our group?" Was the first thought that popped into his head. Hermione smacked him for that. "Alright fine, as I'm sure you all know, I'm Harry Potter; the third Lord in the current war. Whatever you think you know about me, it was probably misdirection or worse." He smirked a little. "Personally I don't care for blood-status, sexual orientation or anything else, I won't force you to participate if you don't want to and I'm certainly not going to mess with your head or torture you." He shrugged. "Fuck with me or mine and I will kill you. Any questions?"

There was silence for a moment. One of the fourth year girls that wasn't Astoria asked nervously. "If we do join you, what's going to be expected off us?"

"I'm going to offer you an apprenticeship bond, which involves a certain expectation that you'll learn from us in some way. The aim being that once this war is over you'll be in a position to help with some of the projects and business I'll be setting up. That's up to you though. In the short term all I'm asking is that you keep our secrets as best as you can and you don't betray us. The bond will do most of the work on that front." Harry explained as best he could.

"What about protecting us from Snape?" Tracey asked nervously. "And the other Death Eaters like Malfoy."

Harry's eyes darted towards Daphne. "May I?" She nodded. Harry cast the House changing charm again and the house crest and colours faded from her clothes. He waited for a few seconds after to see if anything else was going to happen as the others looked on in amazement. "Well, I guess the House Elf only appears if you've left something behind."

"I'm guessing there's more to this than a transfiguration?" Astoria mused. "The robes have a bunch of protection charms on them to stop failed spells from hurting you."

"Our robes don't." Blaise remarked idly. "I'd have found them if they did. Maybe it's something the lower years have?" She asked with a frown.

"Does that really matter? It's past midnight and I'd like to get this over with." Tracey looked expectantly towards Harry, "What do we have to do?"

"If you could introduce yourselves using your full name, I'll offer the bond and then you can either accept or refuse it."

"Okay, well, I'm Tracey Davis, no middle name. I like transfiguration and I'm technically a muggleborn by the weird definitions of Slytherin house." She trailed off nervously as Astoria stood.

"Astoria Jade Greengrass, m'Lord. Youngest of the Greengrass sisters and you probably know the rest." She curtseyed before sitting back down on her trunk. The last two girls spared each other a glance and a frown.

"Flora Marc," They swapped over, "and Hestia Alectus," their mouths formed expression of disgust as they said as one, "Carrow." Flora shrugged. "We're related to those Carrows, but, well, it's not something we're proud of. Dad always said they were always madder than a hat maker and it went downhill from there. We are not joining the Dark Lord." Their eyes met again. "_Ever_. I still remember Amycus' face when he told us what Alecto had to go through." They shuddered.

Harry nodded slowly to himself making a decision. "Okay, I offer you," he recited their names, "a bond of Apprenticeship, to learn and study from myself and my followers until such a time as I deem you worthy or you have nothing left to learn, as well as sanctuary in times of need. In return I ask that you keep our secrets, keep our trust and help to keep us safe. Do you accept?"

"We do." They said as a group.

"Then I will welcome you to my keep. So Mote it Be." They echoed him and he walked round the group, the silver strands of the bonds flaring as he touched each of their heads. One quick round of House changing charms later and a small pile of forgotten or left behind items was gathered in the centre of the floor.

"I'll sort everyone else out tomorrow morning." Harry muttered to himself. "Which is going to make breakfast interesting." He looked at the four girls speculatively. "Well, at least the dorm doesn't need expanding, yet." Raising his voice he addressed the others. "If everyone's ready, we can start heading up towards your new rooms and I can start explaining the rules for it."

OoooOoooO

_11th October_

Professor Flitwick was having a rather boring week. He'd finished the latest round of lessons with Blaise over a week ago and now he was stuck dealing with mediocrity. Or worse, in most cases. As such his glass of water was swirling nervously as he considered picking at his slightly raw bacon. "Professor." His eyes darted upward.

"Is there anything I can do for you Miss Turpin?" He asked politely.

"I know most of the House aren't too keen on her, but has something happened to Padma?" At his confused look she carried on. "Her bed vanished whilst we were getting ready this morning and we haven't seen her all-"

The doors to the great hall clunked open as a very irritated Snape led six of his worst students into the room. The man's glare flashed across the room like the beam from a lighthouse and his scowl deepened as he didn't see whomever he was looking for. "I believe it would be best if you went back to your table, Miss Turpin. I will conduct a search for her as soon as I am able."

The edgy girl followed his glance, and darted away from the Head table. Just in time it seemed. "Headmaster, my House appears to be missing some students." Snape bit out as he arrived before the head table, the students trailing him like well trained dogs. All those wannabe Death Eaters lined up for his inspection and he wasn't sure if he liked what he saw. They were looking ashamed, but also nervous. Malfoy had that particular twitch in the corner of his eyes and Pansy... Well Pansy looked like she'd very nearly been caught having sex in a broom cupboard. Something was up.

"It's not Mr. Nott and Mrs. Greengrass is it? I've been expecting those two to disappear together for some time." Dumbeldore stated in a bemused tone, startling Flitwick who barely managed to suppress the duelling reflexes that would have sent him flying to the floor and off his chair with the absurdity of that statement.

"But those two hate each other?" He felt the need to point out, not missing the completely stumped expression on Snape's face. "They have since third year."

"Well, you know how children are at that age." Dumbledore tried valiantly, eyes twinkling. "Just wait, I tell you, just wait."

"Actually I'm missing the Carrows, Greengrasses, Zabini and Tracey. Their beds have dissapeared as well." Snape completed reluctantly. "I insist that they come and see me the moment they reappear, there was trouble last night and I talk to them before taking disciplinary actions." Dumbledore nodded.

"Of course Severus, I'll ask the House Elves to find them after breakfast if they don't turn up." Filius frowned to himself. Something wasn't adding up here and Dumbledore apparently didn't want to get involved. That left everything to him. As usual in this school it seemed.

"What trouble could six girls cause that would make you lose them?" Filius found himself asking. "I don't believe Blaise would cause that much trouble, she's one of my best students." Snape turned his glare on him.

"That is none of your business." He bit out.

"Really?" The sarcasm in his voice shocked the other teachers out of focusing on their own meals. "One of my students disappeared this morning as well, any information you have to share would be greatly appreciated." Flitwick countered with a brief grin. "Unless you're trying to cover up the actions of those students behind you?"

Snape took a step back. "Now Filius, Severus has my complete confidence, I'm sure he only has the best in mind for his students." Dumbledore broke in happily with those twinkling eyes of his.

"Well, they seem fine to me." Pomona interrupted the three way glare. "Oh my, the rest of my badgers are going to have a time finding seats - makes quite a statement though." Everyone stopped as they turned to see the mass of students politely asking those sitting at the Hufflepuff table to move up a bit so that all fourteen of them could sit down along it.

The House Crests and colours on their robes were conspicuous by their absence. Filius smiled to himself as both Snape and Dumbledore started heading towards them, and looked away from their little scene. "Five points to Blaise for excellent charm work." He muttered. The Slytherin point monitor didn't change. His smile got even wider.

"Potter!" Snape yelled, using the distraction to flick his wrist in his target's direction. The air between him and Potter flashed white, rippling slightly. The young man in question stood slowly, allowing the hall to fall silent as he turned to face him.

"What spell did you just fire at me and mine, Snape?" Harry asked quietly and Dumbledore froze in place. That voice was both dangerous and laced with some kind of magic that was faintly familiar. Severus didn't answer, taking a step back and glaring at Potter. "Was it a compulsion charm? Or maybe a memory charm?" Harry raised his hand and seemed to click his finger and conjure a wand from thin air. Its tip glowed as he pointed it at the schools least favourite professor, robe billowing out behind him.

"Fifty points for threatening a Proffessor, Potter." Snape found his voice again. "Another ten points each for wearing incorrect clothing." His eyes roamed the members of his table. "I am ashamed of you and as your Head of House you will accompany me to the dungeons immediately."

Daphne's hand pressed down on the Carrow's shoulder as they started to get up. "I'm sorry professor, but you're not our Head of House and if you want to believe we're going to follow you and your fellow Death Eaters into a dungeon where one of us was sexually assaulted you can go to hell." She said snarkily.

Snape growled, raising his own wand. "Get that wand out of my face and lower your ward or I'll do it for you."

Potter, in front of the entire hall smirked. Dumbledore stopped smiling. "Severus, enough. I won't have you threatening a student." Not in the Great Hall at any rate. "Harry, my boy." Potter's eyes never left Snape's body. "What is the problem here?"

"The problem is that you insist on letting a group of students doing whatever they like, then punish the victims. I am sick of it. I bet you don't even know that there at least seven students in Slytherin who have the Dark Mark and that Snape here lets them do whatever they like. I am so very glad the Sorting Hat isn't stupid enough to sort muggleborn into his House that can't hide it or you'd have to be covering up bodies." The smile never reached his eyes. "My friends have had enough and are no longer part of Slytherin House. They will not be attending detentions with any teachers and will certainly not be attending classes with Slytherin students or any other Death Eaters you insist on keeping as pets."

Dumbledore sighed. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He explained in his most grandfatherly voice. Harry's smirk grew wider as his eyes twinkled and the old man winced. He'd forgotten about that. "They should have come to us for help. You know that the rest of the staff would be willing to help you and your friends." He deliberately trickled power into his aura and let it resonate in his voice, carefully not mentioning coming to himself.

Harry's cynical, biting laugh spread nervous laughter across the hall. Before it stopped. "Says the man whose second catchphrase is _'I trust Severus Snape'_." He spat out. "I'm sure they'd have been forced back down there for _'the Greater Good'_ because you can trust the spy that's still alive after the master he supposedly betrayed returns can't you?"

"Harry, I am ashamed that you would announce such dangerous information in public like this, do you have no care for your professor's life?" Dumbledore tried. Harry opened his mouth, thought better of what he was about to say and shook his head in disappointed. His wand dropped from its aim at Snape's chest.

"Snape's trial is a matter of public record. Almost identical to Karakoff's case, prime evidence you could say that the Dark Mark is not a loyalty bond even if no self-respecting Dark Lord would contemplate loss for long enough to order his minions not to rat each other out." He stated calmly, his words laced with a power of his own. "Believe what you will, but Karkoff died a very gruesome, public, death yet Snape is still alive and sane. You might trust the bastard who's tried to make my life a living hell since I stepped foot in this castle but give me one good reason why I should trust you, Dumbledore."

"I've done my best to protect you..." He tried feebly.

Harry snorted. "Let me think: Dursleys, Voldemort teaching defence, Lockhart, Basilisk, wards that are highly illegal and of dubious worth. Constant surveillance, repeated attempts to keep me completely oblivious of my legal rights multiple thefts of my belongings... This year we've even had love potions - though I can't prove that was you. Do I need to go on?" There was silence, the very weight of his accusations seemed to weigh down the air between them. "Oh, and I'm practically self-taught. Which shows you how crap the education is like here with one or two notable exceptions." The Head table flinched. "The only thing you've taught me is that even if a bastard looks like your grandfather, he's still a bastard. So I'll ask again, do you have one good reason?"

Dumbledore stared at their group for a few moments, saw the wands held loosely in their hands and found himself unable to speak. Not a single reason found its way onto his tongue. Not a single one. It was a nightmare, this confrontation taking place in the great hall of all places. His plans were unravelling at the seams and now that he knew where to place the blame it was too late to do anything about it. Dumbledore felt his shoulders slump as he turned, his lips twitched in amusement. Oh, of course, when he'd come up with the love potion plan he should have remembered to find out how a Gryffindor and Slytherin got close enough to confess their attraction. It must have been through Harry, if he'd been getting advice through the Greengrasses the entire time then... Dumbledore swallowed. There was likely no way he could win this engagement, even if he factored in all the rules they were breaking right now.

That little red glow. He never remembered what he was missing and now he was paying for it. The rest of the great hall watched as the Leader of the Light turned and walk slowly up to the head table, admitting to the student population that the Chosen One had no reason to trust him. It was an unnerving feeling and the owls would be flying tonight. "Severus." The death eater flinched and turned away sharply, robe billowing out behind him.

The tension in the hall eased slightly as the student Death Eater division backed slowly away from Harry's little group.

"Whilst I have your attention." Harry started, turning to address the great hall. "Me and my friends here, and make no mistake they are all friends of mine, are no longer members of any House of Hogwarts, so don't bother taking out your petty rivalries on us. Additionally they are all under the protection of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black and all that entails. Have a good day."

Conversation slowly resumed in hushed, worried tones. Flitwick sat in his chair, food forgotten as he mused over the puzzle that was Harry's little group. Ginny and Parvati shot several worried glances in his direction as they talked to each other and about halfway through the meal Justin finally got the courage to ask: "So, err, what happened to your uniforms?"

Wizards were strange and irrational beings.

OoooOoooO

_12__th__ October, the Great Hall_

Brown eyes watched as her closest friend sat down beside the small group of people with no House that had come down for lunch and arranged themselves across one side of the Ravenclaw table. It wasn't lost on her or the gossips that they kept Harry closest to the Head table and always kept at least a table between them and the Slytherins if they were going to turn their backs on them.

Harry stood up and stepped aside, letting Parvati take a seat beside her sister as he made a show of recasting the groups wards. Ginny fingered the worn parchment in her pocket again, wondering why she didn't just get up there and ask him. In her heart she knew why. His group, Slytherins and all acted like Moody had - their eyes never rested on one place for long. They ate random bits of food from random platters. They drank from canteen clipped to their belts and their wands had a tendency to appear in their hands.

The school was awash with rumours as to how Greengrass and the Carrows were turning their Chosen One dark but Ginny could see it for what it truly was. They were at war, and they felt like they had enemies in this castle. Parvati and Padma had forgotten their food and were hugging, smiles lighting up the faces of the others that sat there. Ginny put her fork down, got up and left the hall.

He was so unlike the man she'd imagined and fallen in love with it twisted her heart a little every time she saw him. Gone was the shining knight who'd saved her personally from Tom and his creature and he'd been replaced by a warrior who'd killed it because it had dared to take Hermione away from him for a week.

Ginny Weasley breathed out. Her family had betrayed his trust and she'd never done anything special or noteworthy, she couldn't turn to him, them or the Headmaster. Molly was trying desperately to make plans and circumvent the Oath she'd made in Gringotts. She didn't want to believe that Ron had done that to her but she still didn't want anything to do with him.

Her world had fallen apart, its foundations torn and wrecked, leaving her with the worst truth of all: She was just a mediocre girl who wasn't half the seeker he'd been.

It hurt.

So did dragging her wand across her wrist, but it was better than taking it out on other people. She was better than that, now.

_13__th__ October, Arithmancy Class_

"Okay." Hannah announced nervously to the group. "So it took us twice the amount of time I thought it would. It's just, well, two spells might have proved the concept for vocally triggered foci but it really wouldn't have been that useful." They all looked at the 'wand' they'd made, a slender ebony rod covered in glistening silver. "We've used about three quarters of the available etching space with the spells used, but if we could get three dimensional runes involved we could possibly create all sorts of powerful combinations - given a few years." She added sheepishly at the end.

Harry picked it up slowly, feeling it's weight then pointed it at the conjured targets and layered defensive wards. Nothing happened. "Good," He said calmly, "unlike the others it's not activating if magic is simply pushed into it though there's a bit of resistance. Possibly the lack of core?" He asked as the others took notes and jotted down theories. The professor's mind blanked. _Other items, three dimensional runes, just how far ahead of everyone else were they?_

"Now that's a disturbing thought, if the magical creatures leave a bit of their essence behind to make the magic flow easier." Hermione pondered. "No wonder brother wands are so rare. First incantation is shield, no wand movement."

"_Shield." _Harry yelled, and a purple barrier arced in front of him - _protego reflexis_ on a standard wand. "Very impressive." He muttered to himself, flicking his other wand at it. The silent reducto made it ripple as the curse bounced off, but it held. It broke down after the second. "Not quite as powerful as a full shield charm but faster to cast and there's the resistance of the foci to take into account." He turned to the others. "You got a list of the others?"

Hermione handed it to him with a blush. "You'll recognise the first one." Kissing her in thanks he turned to dummies.

"_Cut._" One fell apart, it was the same as on the knife foci. "_Flame." _A sweep of his wand acted like a flamethrower. _"Fireball." _Required a bit of wand movement, but was impressive as a dummy disintegrated. "_Arrow." _With a prodding motion. Nothing happened.

"You're shooting a fiery arrow at something with intent to destroy." Hannah said quickly.

"_Arrow_." A flaming streak blasted a target apart. "Sorry, I was thinking about the conjured arrow spell used at the world cup." He tried to explain. "I wasn't expecting it to be made of fire."

"Well, we figured that to make sure that our concept was sound we'd need to have the same rune arrays used for different spells." Hannah explained. "So Flame is a simple fire conjuration. Fireball is flame conjuration plus a push array, arrow is flame and cut combined with push." She explained carefully, picking up the stack of papers and putting it on the Professors desk. "There's our notes, combined with the runic and arithmantic deconstruction for all five spells and why they work."

"Professor?" Hermione asked after she didn't respond. "Are you okay Professor?"

"I think we broke her." Erin muttered to herself. Harry sighed, cleaned up the mess and fed her a calming draught.

OoooOoooO

The group of babbling third years slowly ceased their conversations as they waited for the lesson to start. Five minutes later they started sharing puzzled looks and frowns. This was a class for the people who actually wanted to learn something! It wasn't a class for people who liked to sleep through lessons or coast to easy Acceptables in Divination. One of the more adventurous ones cleared their throats. No response.

"Err, Professor?" An on edge Gryffindor asked, startling Veetor from her notes.

"Oh, sorry I didn't notice you." She put the stack of papers on her table and stood up. "Right." She looked longingly at the notes. "We were..." She raised a hand to rub her eyes. "I'm sorry I just..." She collapsed like a puppet whose string had been cut, and pulled a bottle from her desk. Pouring herself a large glass of amber liquid she looked up at the gaping students she was supposed to be teaching.

"I was just reading a project written by some... well, they're definitely not students." She muttered absently. "But, well, their work has just undermined almost everything that's commonly held as an absolute truth in modern day Master-level Arithmancy. So I suppose that the lesson for today is simple." She looked down at the paper and read the opening declaration. "Wizardry is the application of energy through intent, will and geometric foci." She quoted.

"What does that mean?" One of the Ravenclaws asked after hastily scribbling it down.

"It means... frankly I have no idea what it means. I just don't understand this. I saw it working and I don't understand it. There's something to do with angles and lengths using runes, which would be the geometry aspect, I think. But then they talk about numbers as if it's geometry and..." She trailed off, taking pity on the students. "I have lost my faith in the course I am teaching here and in the course books. I would say study them but," She paused and shrugged. "I honestly don't know any more. Class dismissed."

They just stood there as the young (by magical standards) professor took a thin black book out of her desk. Her own personal copy of her Mastery Thesis and the only one allowed to circulate outside of the Arithmancers' Guild. _Harmonious Syllabilics in Charms and their Relation to Power Amplification_. How had she never realised it was because rhyming and other little things just made it easier to get the trigger pronunciation pitch perfect? She'd wasted reams of parchment doing the mathematics to prove... _nothing._

She downed her firewhiskey, drawing a few disturbed looks, and threw the book to the floor, thrusting her wand in its direction. _"Ardeat!"_ It did. Burn that is, and that wasn't even a spell! Having to study Latin was probably the only useful part of her apprenticeship. She left the staring students behind, picking the notes up and striding back to her room. She had a lot to think about.

OoooOoooO

_The same time, Slytherin Dormitory_

Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. Lord Draco Malfoy. It had a rather lovely ring to it, didn't it? Blood red wine swirled in his glass, the finest French Chardonnay. Taken fresh from the muggle vineyards. Only the mentally deficient or mudbloods (not that there was much difference in his eyes) would be idiotic enough to drink a magical beverage such as firewhisky on their seventeenth. Being nearly permanently drunk from the magical impression was political suicide. That said there were some people he wished had done so as he sipped from the glass.

There was the faint taste of rose, a lovely bitter-sweet tang as the smooth liquid soothed his throat whilst he waited. Slightly less stupid were those who took enhancing substances as their core destabilised. Such gifts were even passed down to the next generation as well, which was a pity. Just look at Crabbe and Goyle. The blood of a Re'em gave them their strength but also their less than adequate intelligence. You could not get something for nothing, after all. It was how the world worked.

Not that he believed that would stop Granger from trying if he didn't take her beforehand, though Merlin alone knew why the muggles were so lax at noting the exact _time_ of birth. Draco checked the timepiece on the mantle. _Thirty seconds._

He lent back in the chair, savouring one last sip of wine before placing the glass on the table next to him.

It started with a jingling of glass and the feeling of a weight being lifted from soul. Then vertigo. Rushes of colour. Voices, whispering in the darkness.

Scent of roses. Flame in his cheeks. Something smashed.

Puke. Sick. All that wine coming back up.

His head spun as he lent back. His throat was searingly painful and beetles danced in his eyes.

Fuck he was _hard_.

And it was over.

Draco Malfoy was sat in a pool of his own vomit and boy did he feel like shit.

Unfortunately he still couldn't use magic to clean it. He'd get Pansy or someone, _anyone_, to do it. Because he was a fucking Malfoy. His blood might have been foreign but it held _power_. He wasn't a goddamned Weasley or a Potter and he loved it. Still he had to put in an appearance in the infirmary, for appearance's sake. He snorted as he started changing, his feet unsteady beneath him. To really need the infirmary, what a joke. That only happened if you did something stupid, it happening because you were powerful was just a myth. But it was a myth that suited Draco at this point in time. He'd been the butt of more pranks, snide comments and disgusted looks than ever before since Potter had practically announced to the world that he was a Death Eater.

"_Go to Hell_." He snapped at Mrs Norris as she stared at him leaving the dorms, not caring when her eyes glazed over, her tail went limp and she walked off. "Five days..." He said to himself with the most self-satisfied sneer. He'd have to 'talk' with Lavender later.

OoooOoooO

_AN: Thanks for reading, the next chapter of this story will contain a ritual (finally), kidnapping and character death and should be out in a week or two, no garantees after that though. Reviews are greatly appreciated though I've got no idea how this has been so popular as, after reading back through it, I have to admit it's not that great._

_Thank you all for your attention._

_*bows*_

_Long chapter is loooong._


	12. What Have You Done?

_AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, especially Endymion2314 for his idea of soundtrack duelling, texan-muggle for pointing out several of my common mistakes. Dracco's comment inspired the first scene of this chapter and let me lay the basis for some ideas that were refusing to work their way into the story before it. Thank you very much for that._

_This chapter is happily linear and contains my attempt at plot-ish smut scene, it's marked for those of you who might want to skip it._

_I apologise to the people asking for more interaction with characters other than Harry/Daphne/Hermione, I'm suffering from having far too many characters whilst trying to portray the effects the Lords' actions have on others and I'm struggling to switch the focus around when those two have specialities relevant to the plot (Political / Research)._

_Betad by Ceridwen Kalamack_

* * *

><p><strong>12. What have you Done?<strong>

_15th October, Great Hall_

Two days till everything changed, again. Susan poked at the lettuce on her plate one last time, looking about the room. The Carrows were busy whispering on either side of Blaise, their eyes darting back to the Slytherin table every so often. Padma, Hermione, Daphne and Harry were still stuck in the ritual room doing Merlin knows what whilst Tracey was hiding behind a pair of conjured sunglasses and trying to avoid the stares. Parvati was, well, gossiping with Astoria. She shivered, before three days ago she'd never even considered the words gossip and Greengrass in the same sentence.

The ten of them had spent so long relying on each other, it was difficult to relate to the other students and the new members of their group had brought that difference to the forefront. They were so slow at learning, and they kept forgetting things. Occlumency really did make a massive difference to what you could learn and the rate at which you learnt it.

Hannah's had reached for hers before either of them realised what they were doing, their emotions swirling and equalising between them as they shared a faint smile. The food vanished and Dumbledore's prattling about a missing cat faded into the background. Their eyes met and a silent conversation passed between them as they eased each other's fears.

"Do you ever think we're being left out?" Neville asked with a half-smile as he turned to Luna, who shrugged.

"It's hard because we still technically have to attend lessons for OWLs whilst you guys are free to study in the library all day and do whatever you like." The fifth year shrugged, shifting into her boyfriend's lap as she stole the tart from under his nose. "Whilst me and Erin have to live with all the wrackspurts and fuzzingdings. I think she has it worse though. Don't you?"

The girl in question snapped her glance away from Hannah and Susan's clasped hands and blushed. "Erm, yes. What did I just agree to?"

Luna giggled with the group as a bit of the tension eased away. "It doesn't matter, Susan's got visitors."

"I do?" The former Hufflepuff turned, making one of the girls behind her 'eep' and dive behind the boy next to her.

"Go on, ask her." The first year girl ordered sheepishly.

"Why do I have to ask her? You're the one that wanted to ask her instead of Harry." The boy complained quickly.

"Yeah, but... he's scary." The other male of the group, a Ravenclaw, said nervously. "And your prefect told us she was friendly."

Susan could barely restrain herself from laughing at their antics, which would have just put them off. "I'm right here and I promise not to bite you or anything."

Absolutely mortification was the only way to describe their reaction. Then, after they'd gotten over that, there was a bit of vocal scuffling before boys pushed one of the girls from the back all the way forward until her nose made ripples on the ward. "Why do I have to do it?" She bit back at them.

"Because you're a Gryffindor?" One of the boys shot back and she scowled at them.

"Were we that bad in first year?" Hannah asked with a raised eyebrow.

Susan giggled. "I've no idea; they do kind of remind me of us, just with more guys and no Slytherins."

The girl in front of her rolled her eyes. "That's because Valour suddenly said she couldn't be friends with us anymore for some inane reason." The girls at the table shared a quick, worried look. "Erm, anyway, you know how Harry kind of, well, announced that there was at least seven Death Eaters in the school. Well, we're all halfbloods or muggleborn and we wanted to know who to stay away from."

"Oh, sure." Susan said happily. "Let's see. You remember the people that were stood with Snape that day." They nodded. "Well, there's those six to start with. Snape's also a Death Eater but you know that..." She trailed off, before starting to point out others on the Slytherin table and one or two on the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables as 'possible supporters'.

OoooOoooO

"Maybe we should make pamphlets or something?" Susan asked as they left the hall. "People to Avoid." She spread her hands, imagining a title like that.

"Maybe we could post them Decree style, like Umbridge. Or better yet, give every student a little book on how to beat up evil minions. Not that doing any of these would get us in trouble with Dumbledore or the Ministry." Hannah teased, but the seed of an idea had been planted in Susan's mind even as she humphed at her Sister. It was unrealistic and probably pointless, but she wanted to do something - the question was what?

Blaise had her own worries, splitting off down the corridor. "I'm going to talk to Filius, Valour might be under subtle compulsion charms or something; we all know Snape has no morals."

OoooOoooO

_17th October, Harry's Domain_

Harry let out a breath, flicking a _Tempus_ from his wrist as he checked the time again. _6:45 AM_. He was probably going to be able to cast it silently with the amount of time he was planning on using it today. In a little over eight and a half hours Daphne was going to be seventeen.

Sleep was impossible.

Throwing himself out of bed, Harry headed towards the shower going over the list in his mind. The mutagen needed to be taken off the boil in an hour and fifteen, the rune circle required had been double-checked by Hermione and he was as prepared as he was going to get. He'd also remembered to get her a present. It just hadn't... hatched yet.

Maybe chocolates would have been a better idea. Did he have time to get some chocolate? Not really. He couldn't brew them up either, didn't have enough cocoa beans or milk as neither were exotic enough for his stores. Something he should probably change.

He showered, washed his hair (twice), brushed his teeth, and checked behind his ears. Put on in his best clothes. Did his teeth again. Then he started pacing.

Harry cast another T_empus_. She wouldn't be downstairs for another hour or two. Enough time to go and read _that_ book. Sure, this was going to be his first too but he really wanted her to enjoy it. Damn, had Hermione calculated the effect of having two virgins in the ritual? Did it even matter for guys? He'd have to go check that and make sure it was safe.

OoooOoooO

_Daphne's Room_

Spitting hair from her mouth, Daphne tried to work out why the bed was bouncing up and down. "Happy Birthday." Blaise said gleefully from her place at the foot of the bed, with a most despicable grin on her face.

"Mlurh." Daphne reluctantly snuck her out from the duvet, pawing around for her wand. "_Tempus_." The glowing figures caused her to do something she would never, ever admit to; pout. _8:23 AM_. "Shouldn't it be earlier?" She asked the world.

"Too nervous to get any sleep?" Daphne nodded, throwing the duvet over her friend as she went to grab her towel. "Hey!" Blaise tried to glare at her before smirking a little. "Anyway, you should see Harry; he's all over the place this morning, trying to make sure that nothing can go wrong. It would be adorable, if he wasn't wearing that nice black shirt combo he has." Blaise got a dreamy look on her face before a flannel smacked it off.

"Tell the others I'll been down in a bit. I've got to shower and everything." Blaise sighed as her friend disappeared down the corridor.

"Sometimes you're just no fun." She muttered under her breath before heading off to join the others.

OoooOoooO

"So, ermm, what's the plan for today, and are we going down to the great hall?" Parvati asked nervously, rubbing her eyes as she tried to get the last of the sleepy-dust from her eyes.

Harry chuckled, shaking his head as Hermione scribbled away in her notebook. "We wouldn't make it in time, it's also Daphne's birthday so we're not training and Winky will be getting us some food and our mail once she appears."

"We're not training?" Parvati asked in amazement before collapsing back into the couch. "Thank Merlin. I finally get to rest." She sounded so happy at that and the rest of them laughed.

"You get used to it." Harry moved the robe wrapped bundle closer to his side and checked the warming charms on it. "I really hope she likes my present."

"This present or the one you'll give her later," Blaise asked, wiggling her eyebrows. The other coven girls blushed as Harry's mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"Not in front of her sister!" He managed to get out eventually. "That's just... no. Okay? Didn't we agree to keep that quiet?"

"Keep what quiet?" Astoria jumped on the topic. "You're not going to be having sex with my sister are you?" No one really wanted to answer that. "That's just _ewwwwwww_."

"What's freaking my sister out now?" Daphne asked as one of the room's doors opened up to let her in.

"Happy Birthday!" Everyone yelled at her. There was silence.

"Do you lot have to be so loud?" She asked, walking slowly towards the large pile of wrapped things on the table.

"Yes, yes we do. Now hurry up and open them so we can have breakfast already." Susan demanded playfully. "Then we can leave you to Harry."

"Fine." Daphne rolled her eyes as she Harry conjured a beanbag for her to sit on. "I'm going to start with yours just for that comment, A_ccio Susan's present._" It was chocolate. There were quite a few chocolates, as well as alcohol, some clothes, a fairly ornate dagger and some vials of hair potion. It was giggling, madness and general chaos all round.

"You didn't get me anything?" Daphne asked Harry dangerously. "None of those were marked from you..."

"I didn't want to risk wrapping it, and it needs to be kept warm for at least another day." He shifted the bundle of robed out of its space by his side and gingerly handed it over to her. "Whatever you do, don't break it."

"That's... heavy." Daphne said uneasily as she took the bundle from him and placed it on other table. "Is this a rock?" The ends of the robe were slowly pushed away to reveal a lump of granite. "It looks like an egg..." The rock wobbled slightly and everyone jumped back.

"It's a familiar egg." Harry explained a little nervously. "A type of basilisk, to be precise. It should hatch in a day or two. I just felt like giving you something special for your seventeenth, I guess." He blushed as everyone stared at him. "You don't like it do you?" His voice was quiet.

"Harry, you just gave me the world's deadliest magical snake as a birthday present, what exactly were you thinking when you decided on this?" She asked a little nervously, leaning back from the table. "I can't talk to snakes like you, what if it bites me?"

"It can't." Harry said with complete certainty. "It's bound to you the same way Slytherin's was bound to him. And, well, I was thinking that if anyone tries to hurt you they wouldn't live that long... It's not going to be able to stare people to death for a year or two and I made sure this type only petrified, and only when it wanted to, so all it'll have is its venom and that probably won't kill an attacker straight away but... I'm rambling aren't I?"

"A little." Hannah remarked from the sidelines. "You're not going to give all of us basilisks are you?"

"Merlin, no. There's a bunch of others that would be better suited to you it's just... Daphne is the ultimate Slytherin so I thought it fit? That and I don't want anything to happen to her." Harry shrugged as the girl in question blushed slightly at the praise.

"You're going to help me look after this, get the food for it and anything else it needs, okay?" Harry nodded as she folded it back into the bundle of robes. "Because whilst it's true I don't have a familiar, I know absolutely nothing about how to look after a snake. You're also going to have to brew some antivenin for it."

"Of course." Harry agreed hastily and her expression softened.

"I know you only had my best interests in mind but just think a little next time. What would giving the daughter of a Noble House a deadly magical animal normally imply?" Harry paled at the thought.

"I wouldn't do that. I need you!" He exclaimed without thinking and Daphne's smile lit up the room. It might not have been an 'I love you' but it was close enough to make her feel warm inside.

Then, Winky arrived with bundles of food from the kitchen elves and a giant pile of packages for her. It was a sad, sad time when your mail consisted of nine separate envelopes from Gringotts and about three from the ministry. Only her father had sent her an extra present: a book she'd read a year ago.

Oooo **/ SMUT START /** oooO

"_Tempus Continuo" _Harry whispered, charging the small runic circle above the head of the ritual site, channelling a small portion of the power he'd tapped from the leyline into it. A glowing clock appeared in midair. _14:03. _It stayed there as he removed his wand from the circle. So far, so good.

Standing slowly he examined the artwork of runes scribed into the floor. Two weeks of work with rulers, compasses and a small notebook's worth of calculations made it resemble a fine piece of art. He had a pile of papers, every last runic diagram and circle on them etched permanently into his mind by occlumency, two vials of highly temperamental potions and seven sticks of silver infused with enough of his magic they'd become solid again. Oh, and a pot of massage oil he'd mixed up this morning from some of his spare ingredients. _14:05_. It was time.

A negligent wave of his wand lit the scented candles. "_Girl's Dormitory._" He muttered at the door and it opened of its own accord. She was sat in one of the small couches with a book, cloak clutched around her with blond hair spilling over the hood. "You ready?" He asked into the silence.

She almost jumped out of her seat. The book she was reading clattered across the table as her hands pulled the cloak tight. "No, but let's do this anyway." She smiled faintly, cheeks tinted with rogue as she walked slowly towards him. "I probably shouldn't be this nervous."

"You're not the only one." Harry tried to reassure her, reaching out to hug her as she stepped into the room. The cloak followed her arms round his shoulders as the door closed behind them. Warm, silken skin shifted under his touch as bare breasts pressed against his shirt.

"Your hands are cold." She complained mockingly as they stepped back from each other. "Is that jasmine I smell?"

"Don't you like it?" Harry smiled meekly as he undid his shirt, nervousness washing away as Daphne let the cloak trail slowly down her body. "Right," he said absently, licking his lips, "well..."

"Like what you see?" She asked teasingly.

"Very much." His wand flicked out, conjuring some pale cushions over the ritual circle. "But we've got some other things to do first." He gestured to them, very deliberately casting a verbal warming charm over his hands. "Milady, if I could do your back first."

Raising an eyebrow and trying to ignore the slow hardening of her nipples Daphne turned, strutted and paused as she down on the first cushion. "Less looking at my ass, more massaging." She bit out without looking back and shifted down so that she was comfortable, the conjurations shifting underneath her as her arms stretched out above her head.

He started at her neck, warm oil smoothing over her back as hard hands eased the small knot of muscles and started working its way onto her shoulders. Closing her eyes she snuggled into the cushion. "Was this your idea?" She asked idly, not really caring for the answer as he worked his way down. He was definitely getting better at this. "Not that I- eep."

His hand slithered between her ass cheeks, the warm oil tracing its way inside a little as he lent back. There was a faint chinking of metal before his breath tickled at the back of her neck. "We both needed to do something to relax or we'd be far too tense for this bit." There was tingling and something cold racing over her skin. "Easy." He whispered as she shifted. "Just the runes. Relax," He started humming faintly one hand drawing calming patterns across her body as, unseen to her, the other used a stick of quickened silver to draw shimmering patterns across her flesh. There was the briefest flash-flicker of pain as he activated the pattern with his wand before her eyes grew heavier and her muscles relaxed.

Harry finished the rune cluster Hannah had given him with a word, the swirling chain of interlinked circles spreading from her spine glowing faintly as it matched his memorization. Humming softly he charged this one with power from his hands, the enhancement glyph shifting slightly. His eyes found the time _14:38_. Forty minutes left and his conjurations would fade in ten. Dabbing a bit more oil onto his hands he checked the runes he'd drawn one last time.

Everything seemed to be fine, down to the general health and regeneration clusters he'd placed on her very cute bum. "Turn over." He murmured, massaging the speed runes on her feet, it was time for the difficult bit.

"Do I have to?" She murmured, shifting slightly before remembering that he would finally get onto the rest of her and twisting underneath him. He was still wearing trousers as he prowled up her body and that annoyed her.

"This might feel a little weird, but please try not to move." Harry whispered as he dissolved the cushions, dropping her onto warm stone and started massaging her temples. "Close your eyes?" He asked. Daphne obeyed him reluctantly.

Harry breathed out and shunted yet more magical energy to his emotional shields as he tried to keep his mind off of what he was leaning over. Twiddling the last of the second stick of alchemical silver between his fingers, he had to draw a bit more energy from the leyline as he worked out a way to fit all the rune groups he wanted onto the appropriate places. They were only going to be a guideline for what he was planning on forming into the new Greengrass gift, but some of the others were minor rune tattoos or glyphs that Padma had unearthed in the library and she wanted them to be permanent instead merely having the usual temporary effects.

Then he started drawing onto her eyelids. Little patterns here and there. She shifted a little as he did so. Her nose twitched cutely as he moved onto that. "This really tickles." She complained. "It's like ice or something." He chuckled and carried on drawing.

"Just be patient." He advised. The stick of silver ran out as he finished her chin and he tried to calm himself down. "Are you ready for the next bit?" He asked, voice lowering as anticipation broke through his occlumency.

Daphne's eyes flickered open as he reached for the oil again. Smiling coyly she stretched out, curving into him as one of her legs slid up between his and pushed him forwards. "It was fine until you started talking. You're not getting nervous again, are you?"

Smirking, Harry traced one oily finger across her lips as his other worked its way down to her breast. Daphne's breathing was coming hard and fast, tongue brushing out to lick the oil provocatively.

Harry blinked, looking for the clock; _12:54. _He really needed to get a move on. With one last tweak, he rubbed his left hand on his trousers and pulled another stick from a rear pocket. Spreading her arm out whilst smoothing it down with oil he started drawing again.

Harry's breathing had steadied by the time he'd reached the end of her arm and pulled it out by the anchor point on the circle. Using his other hand to keep the blond suitably distracted, he poured even more power into his emotional suppressants and started licking along her arm while pressing the silver stick across her wrist. Just shy of twenty seconds, he kept her twisting before he'd managed to transmute it into part of the ritual circle, pinning her arm in place.

Now to start on the other arm. _12:59 _Then the legs. _13:09. _Just keep her distracted.

Daphne was quivering; her insides turned into a warm, unfeeling coil of ache and need. The ice seared into a nipple and she gasped, trying to arc her back as the sensation sent her near the edge, her body so close but her entrance refusing to do anything about it, as the blade of sensations sketched faster and faster along her body.

Each stroke brought her closer and closer, but it was never quite close enough. It was... _His _tongue washed around her nipple and thinking just stopped happening for a while. Oh, she could stop it, return clarity in an instant and make the pain go away. But that would make the pleasure go away too... The light beneath her eyelids was almost painful. The nice little ice slipped one last circle or runes around her belly button before filling it and the weight left her pelvis.

Daphne blinked, biting her lip as the ocean she'd been surfing in faded away. "The ceiling wasn't this bright earlier..." She muttered to herself, watching the play of pale white, blue and ever so soft green on the ceiling as she shifted about. "Where's..." She tugged on her arms and something tugged on her wrists. There was something holding her legs in place too. She felt so... weak. Looking down, her breathing hitched and her heart sped up. Her skin was glistening with oil as runes danced and shimmered under her skin, the play of light crossing the room.

Harry checked the temperature of the mutagen again after removing the cooling charms keeping it stable. _13:16. _Two minutes. It was warm enough to drink. Removing the stopper on the perspective accelerator with his other hand he shattered the barriers holding his emotion back and faltered as his blood rushed downwards.

_His _angel was pinned to the floor, blond hair shimmering, body so perfect. He wet his lips just from looking at her glistening, _wet, _body. Her glowing eyes were wide and her head was turning from side to side. He lent down beside her, heart thumping as the tempus charm ticked over. "Harry, I..."

"It's okay." He whispered even as he positioned himself over her. "Just let me take care of everything." His breath warmed the side of her as he kissed her, pulling back to put the vial to her lips and downing his own.

Daphne looked up at the man she, well, maybe not loved, but certainly was willing to trust her life to and was faced with the most important choice of her life. Looking up into those eyes there was really only one choice. Relaxing into the restraints, her tongue idly tipped the vial so that its contents burnt down into her mouth, breathing in the fumes as much swallowing the liquid. The world was awash with the taste of jasmine as she became _his _in mind for the first time.

Then his hands found her breasts and something clenched and writhed inside her with a burst of pain. The world spun out of focus and she found herself staring into glowing emeralds.

Harry swallowed by accident as he felt her unravel beneath him, her climax setting off his own as he almost burst out screaming, her magic twisting and flaring as the runes brightened up the room. Her eyes caught his and the potion kicked in, silencing all feeling in his body.

It still took almost half a second of trying to move through sludge to call up the patterns and shapes he needed to instil into her mind and core.

Tendrils of her essence flared everywhere and he tapped the keystone by instinct, channelling energy here and there, into rune clusters instead of flaring into nothing. Memories flickered and passed; strands of the stuff that made her, _her_ latching into him. Astoria age three, father telling her that mum was dead and... He pushed them away, focusing. There, the bundle of energy that was trying to settle. He pulled it, shaped it, changed it. Pressed a pattern into her skin, rippled another across her mind. He had all the time in the world and it wasn't enough. The runes were taking care of most things now. The coven tattoo usurping all kinds of things that he didn't have time to worry about. Power flooded through her and the channels of her body flared and grew at obscene rates as they shifted. Energy flushing in from elsewhere, the sickly sweet of lust mingling with joy and pleasure.

Alchemy wasn't supposed to be done this fast, damn it.

There were connections, tiny little connections laced out from her... _Hermione, Blaise, Hogwarts- _he severed that one, then he burnt out the connection to Britain but left her family and Sisters alone. She was his and his alone. The one to him... Wasn't something he wanted to think about with the changes it was going through.

The channels in her eyes flared and shattered, spinning across her mind and snagging bits from his as he panicked, emotions running free as her subconscious recovered enough to fight him. Everything else was done, he just _needed_ to...

Through an application of will, intent and sheer bloody ignorance he thrust power at the problem. To give her a weapon that no one could take away or avoid... Time sped up.

Harry Potter slumped into unconsciousness as the last vapour of the mutagen filtered out of Daphne's mouth, their bodies still coupled.

Oooo **/ SMUT ENDS /** oooO

The world swam slowly into focus. Three bricks high and five wide, his eyes opened a little further. The stench of jasmine burned at his throat. At least he was lying on something warm and comfy. His eyes felt heavy again.

Harry's eyes snapped open and went wide. "Daphne?" He murmured nervously, head pounding. He pulled himself off her slowly, trying not to wince at when dried bodily fluids chafed and stuck. There was blood on the floor, on her and on him. Right now he didn't feel up to cleaning it. "Daphne?" He asked again.

She didn't respond.

Two fingers rested hesitantly on her neck. She had a pulse. Faint, but she had a pulse. The last bits of the rite were hazy in his head. Why would... Harry clicked his fingers in irritation as he leaned back. Magical fucking exhaustion. Which meant no Occlumency and no energy.

Tapping a bit of the power in his realm's leyline washed the headache away but did nothing for the nausea and he gingerly opened up his mage sense. A glimpse was all it took for him to slam it shut. Magically, Daphne was a slightly unstable mess; Merlin only knew what would happen if he tried to mess with it further.

Hopefully, all she needed was time and limited exposure to magic, which meant that the circle she was lying on wasn't helping. Harry doubted that the coven tattoo, which had spread from her forearm across most of her chest, half her face and a leg was helping either but there was nothing he could do about that. So...

Trousers, shirt, and standing up... Probably in that order.

OoooOoooO

"It's been two hours and you all felt that power rush..." Susan said uneasily as they waited in their common room.

"She's fine." Padma reassured the others, as the only one of the six girls in the room not wearing holes in the carpet. "I told you I did an augury and it said the ritual had worked."

"That's divination." Hermione pointed out. "And worse it's divination involving the sacrifice of a chicken. I really didn't appreciate you doing that in front of me when you found out my time of birth, by the way. Besides, an augury's looking into the future, not the past, and we all know how unreliable..." She trailed off as she stopped pacing and stared at the door.

"There's nothing wrong with sacrificial magic, as long as you don't use a human." Hannah defended her sister quietly. "That's just dodgy."

"Harry's calling me." Hermione cut them all off as she started towards one of the doors the rest of them following rapidly. It swung inwards at her touch to reveal an exhausted and forlorn looking Harry struggling to carry their Sister in the middle of the girl's dormitories.

"Which room's Daphne's?" He asked after a moment or two of gathering his thoughts.

"Is she alright?" Hermione asked for the group as she ran up to take some of the weight.

Harry head bobbed slowly. "Yeah, her core's just." He yawned. "A little unstable, I hope." A weak smile crept onto his face. "It didn't go as well as it could have. So no magic around her for at least a day."

The coven relaxed as a group, creeping Harry out just a little. "Good." Hermione said with a smile, as they went up the left hand staircase. "The others got tired of us waiting around anxiously and not telling them why, so they went down to dinner without else. Her room's just through here."

"Thanks." Harry got out as they lowered her onto her bed; he took a chair for himself and collapsed into it, eyes not leaving Daphne's unconscious form. "You go and get something to eat; I'm not feeling up to it." He sighed. "I'm not sure this is a good idea anymore - we can't exactly take her to the Hospital wing and say, 'I'm sorry but we did an experimental ritual and it went wrong and now expect everything to be made better'."

Hermione halted in the doorway. "Harry... she'll be fine. Padma divined that the ritual was a success."

"She could have died... I think." Harry's voice was weary. "I don't know if I want to risk you..." He shook his head. "After all, just because it was successful doesn't mean everything's fine. Her mind might have shattered. Something definitely happened because quite a few of her memories are running round my head right now."

"Wait then. If she recovers, don't just dismiss the idea." Hermione pleaded. Harry agreed reluctantly as she slunk away. His head hit the back of the chair as he let out the breath he was holding. "Winky." The elf popped in and he felt the draw on his core as she 'borrowed' the magic to do it. "I'll need a nutrient potion, some non-conjured warm water, and soap. Bring me a pepper-up potion as well."

"Is Mistress Daphne okay?" The elf asked nervously, its eyes getting even wider as it anxiously perused each bit of her body that was visible.

"She'll be fine." Harry said with stark finality. "Just get the things I requested please."

"But her skin's peeling off..." Harry eyes shot up and he glared.

"I know." He growled. The elf disappeared with a crack as he stood, the chair sliding back beneath him. He needed to shower, make sure her egg was warm, bathe her and then... down another nutrient potion and sleep.

OoooOoooO

_Mid-day 18th October, Daphne's room_

"How is she?" Hermione asked from the doorway, leaning against the frame. Harry reluctantly looked away from the book in his hands and smiled. Hermione couldn't help but echo it.

"Better. The changes are taking a while to propagate through her body, but it looks like everything's worked out. I'd say she'd wake up some time tomorrow but..." He shook his head. "She'll have to recover from the exhaustion as well... I have no idea how long it's going to take." The corner of his mouth trembled a little. "It's just... I don't know. Maybe using all the rune clusters was an idiotic idea."

"It'll be fine." Hermione whispered, moving over to comfort him.

"What if it's not?" He asked, standing up suddenly. "What if she wakes up and doesn't want any of this? None of us were expecting some of the changes she's gone through and her magic is still shifting." He fidgeted, turning away from her. "I'm not sure if she'll be able to live with what I've done to her and I'm even less certain if she'd still be alive at the end of this without them." She hugged him from behind as he sighed, running a hand over hers. "

"Are we doing my ritual?" Hermione asked once he'd calmed down.

"I had to start brewing the potion a month ago and it'll be finished in about six hours." He said with a shrug. "I've already made up the rest of the components, the circle needs some of the silver in it recharging but I'll do that later. I'm keeping my options open and seeing how she does before making a final decision."

Almost sensing their speculative looks, Daphne shifted slightly under the covers, her body curling round the egg Harry had placed on it. She looked so vulnerable and innocent like that and Harry couldn't stop himself from reaching over and brushing the hair from across her eyes, revealing the frantic swirls of silver that enhanced that half of her face.

"Is that?" Hermione asked hesitantly, reaching out to touch it before jerking her hand back.

"Yeah, that's part of the coven tattoo. It's definitely grown." Harry explained as best he could. "Look at her skin as well." He pointed out one of the most obvious results of the ritual.

"It looks so smooth." Hermione whispered. "I- is that a scale? It looks like it might be." She turned to Harry with a puzzled expression.

"Some of the rune clusters where for extra protection, and I added my own twist to things that looks like it's resulted in this. I'm not entirely sure what effect it'll have." He said tiredly. "That took a lot of power and time to craft though, so I'm not going to try it again. On the bright side, you can barely see them if you don't know what you're looking for so no one should tease her about it."

"Thank Merlin." Hermione whispered under her breath and the egg wobbled. "Whoa." She said, darting back a bit. Harry was grinning like a madman as grabbed the vial of milk, blood and honey under a stasis charm.

"It's starting to hatch." He said eagerly. "I was hoping she'd be awake for this..." His eyes flickered to Hermione. "If you're intending to go to Transfiguration now is a very good time to leave because things might be about to get messy."

Backing out the room, Hermione took one look at the dust being kicked up as the rock cracked before the mad grin on Harry's face made her shiver. "I'll cover for you." She decided quickly, sprinting downstairs to join the others.

OoooOoooO

It was nearly two in the afternoon and Minerva had spent the last half-hour staring at the same blank lesson plan. In five minutes she would have to be in a class with the core group of what people were calling the 'Black House' behind their backs. A part of her thought it was due to the public perception of Sirius Black as a completely treacherous bastard instead of the colour of their robes. Because who honestly wanted to be seen as someone who would betray their entire House?

The very idea of it was disturbing on a fundamental level.

And then it had happened. Harry Potter was an angry young man with no one to trust before he became Lord Black, it was a lot of power in one man's hands. He and his new Housemates were something else, and she honestly didn't want to deal with them anymore. Of course Dumbledore's order to 'gain his trust' wasn't helping matters.

She threw the quill down in disgust, grabbing her outer-robe as she stalked towards the classroom. If only they'd hold back like they'd been doing the last few years! Susan had been a real joy to teach and educate on the wonders of Transfiguration but she never showed off. Now nary a class went by without one of them doing something she couldn't achieve and it was always the light of the year in her subject that was responsible.

The door slammed open. She was five minutes late. Her glare scanned the room. "House Black, erect a silencing ward and do your own thing I can no longer be bothered to put up with your antics. Next time, I suggest you take a leaf out of Potter and Greengrass' book and don't even bother turning up, since there is nothing I can teach you." Her hands tightened around the lectern as the rest of them looked at her in shock.

Oh how long she'd wanted to say that but couldn't with Harry there and Dumbledore's irritating orders. "Now." She said firmly as one of those at the back erected what looked to be a form of silencing ward cast non-verbally. It didn't even surprise her anymore. "If the rest of you could turn to page seventy of the textbook we can get on without our usual distractions."

OoooOoooO

"Now I want three feet of parchment on the use of inanimate transformations on wizards and muggles, paying particular attention to the difference between them and any speculation you may have, in for Friday." She sighed. "_Finite_." The ward at the back of the room took her spell without breaking. "_Finite Incantatum_." She growled, deliberately overpowering the spell.

The ward shattered in a flash of white and seven wands were suddenly pointing in her direction along with several _Protego's_. "The lesson's over." She pointed out dully, picking up her notes on the rest of the year's abysmal skills and heading off to her office. She needed either a stiff drink or an obliviation charm, whichever came first. She'd very nearly started calling her students dunderheads.

Perish the thought!

"I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again." Susan said as they walked out of the classroom. "It's all about the visualisation, the more precise you can be, the better the result. In battle transfiguration, it's easier to simplify your creations so that they require less energy for the same result." She carried on explaining. "Hence the land blade spell. You could make a land shark spell, sure, but that's more complexity, more energy and more obvious..." She let out a sigh of exasperation.

"Hermione, wait up!" A voice yelled from behind them. Lavender smiled as she caught her breath. "Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?" Her eyes flicked to the others. "Alone?"

"Anything you might want to say to me can be said to all of us, I kind need to get back to our dorms." Hermione said as the group stopped.

"Yeah, but not in a corridor." She said uneasily, looking around. "There are plenty of people here."

Hermione looked the others for support and Blaise shrugged. "It's Lavender, it's not like she's going to do anything." She said idly. "Hell, she might want to join."

The gossip blinked. "Err, no. Why would I want to do that? I just want to talk to you about Harry."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll see you guys back there." They nodded and started walking off, Susan returning to her discussion.

"Thanks for this." Lavender smiled warmly, relaxing as the others went down the corridor behind her. "Come on, some of the others want to talk to you as well." She turned and headed off down past the classroom.

"Others?" Hermione asked, flicking her wand into her palm even though Lavender had turned her back to her.

"Yeah, well, erm." Lavender frowned trying to put her thoughts in order. "We, I mean, some of the girls aren't that happy with what Harry's been doing and we thought that, since you're giving him advice, obviously, that we could fill you in on, you know, the unwritten rules that you won't find in books."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she followed the Gryffindor, the mixture of insults and naivety was rather amusing and the sooner she disarmed this little idiocy the better. "You mean the unwritten rule of always do whatever the old guy in charge tells you to? Even if it's strip and suck him off? I heard about your little group from Parvati."

"No, it's not like that- It's just that traditions are important, it might not seem it but they're there for a reason. We have to mimic the past if we're ever going to get back to it." Lavender said anxiously. "Oh what am I saying, Su can explain it so much better than me. Ah here it is." She pointed to one of the abandoned rooms. "I think it was this one..."

Sighing, Hermione went to open the door. "Let's get this over with." She froze in the doorway as her heart rate sped up. Her feet took a step back as Lavender walked into her back, pushing her forward.

"Sorry didn't expect you to- What are you doing here Malfoy? I thought-" The blond smirked, Pansy, Crab and Goyle spreading out behind him, wands in hand. Hermione swallowed, Tracey and Daphne had been the only Slytherins taking NEWT transfiguration, why hadn't she seen something like this coming?

"_Come quietly and you won't be hurt._" Draco idly commanded, utilising his gift for all it's worth.

Hermione felt the compulsion as it scattered off her barriers and reflexes trained into her by Harry sprung into action. Goyle took a bludgeoning charm to the chest as she flicked a shield from her glove, wand moving for her next curse as she dove to the side.

Blood clouded Draco's eye as he barely got out of the way of a ribbon cutter. Blond hair speckled with blood graced the floor as he reeled back. How was she firing curses so fast? "_Stupefy!_" He found his tongue twisting to say, as he yelled _Ossis Effergo _inside his head. His measly red spark doing nothing against the shield she held with her hand.

She wasn't even using a wand to dual cast! Impossible!

"_Protego_" He found himself screaming like a girl as a dark curse he'd been shown over the holidays on a prisoner slammed into it, rebounding onto Goyle and setting his arm on fire. A week ago he wouldn't even had the power to do that without a counter-curse added. This wasn't a god-damned fight this was a massacre. "Stun her!" He cried out as Crabbe joined Goyle on the floor, he nearly lost an arm as purple fire scythed past him to hit Pansy, the power granted by his majority making his shield hold once more. "_Stun her!_"

"_Stupefy_." Lavender's spell caught everyone by surprise and Hermione went limp, toppling forward as her head raced to a collision with the stone floor. Draco rushed forward and caught her, heart pounding in his chest as her head rested against it.

"Fucking mark!" He snarled, trying desperately to shove the mudblood into the ground, slam her down, kill her, anything. All that happened was his magic rebelled against him and he lowered her slowly to the ground as the Dark Mark burned against his skin. Unharmed. Why the hell did the Dark Lord have to order her brought to him 'unharmed'.

"Oh god." Lavender said suddenly as she backed out the room. "Why did I do that? What are you going to do to her. I..." She raised her wand uneasily, the tip shaking all over the place.

"Don't worry." Draco snarled, his lips lovingly formed his favourite dark cutting curse, the exhilaration wiping away his terror. Lavender slammed back into the wall, leaving a trail of blood as she slid down it. "It's not your problem anymore."

"Draco!" Pansy snapped from the corner. "We'll be caught if you use curses like that! The wards might flag it up!"

"Granger wasn't using fucking light magic." Draco snapped at her, pocketing the girls wand. "That wasn't Auror or Death Eater training; I don't know what it was. She was trying to kill us! US!" He stared at his betrothed, breathing settling down. He ran a hand through his hair and winced. "_Episkey._" There wasn't the normal crawling sensation of a cut knitting itself back together.

"_Merde_..." He swore in his family's native tongue. Hair loss he could deal with but he was going to bleed to death if he didn't get help soon. Wait. Granger was the bookworm of the group, what were the rest of them going to be like? The cold feeling sunk its fangs back into his heart.

"You haven't been listening to a word I've said, have you!" Pansy yelled into his face, clutching her left arm to her side as her blood splattered the floor.

"I need to take her to Snape before anyone realises what happened. Try and get those two up and back to the dorm." He fumed. He ran his hand over his head again and winced at the agony. "_Wingardium Leviosa_." Hermione's limp form floated gracelessly off the floor. "The corridors should be clear by now." He muttered to himself. "Make sure you clean up the god-damn evidence." He bit back at his betrothed, the red gleam riming his eyes.

"You just..." Pansy was left speechless as he stepped over Lavender's body, ignoring her pained gasps and striding down to the dungeons. "What the hell am I going to do about you? _Ennervate, Ennervate." _She cast at the two groaning goons.

OoooOoooO

Neville and Luna turned to see the four other girls with uneasy looks on their faces. "What's up?" He asked.

"Fear, followed by anger then nothing..." Blaise muttered. "Erin's in Charms so it's not her. Go and get Harry, Hermione's in trouble." She turned and started running, the other three following quickly behind her.

"How the hell do you know that?" Neville yelled after them as they started sprinting, the Transfiguration classroom was four floors down.

"She's their sister, but they stole that truth from the Universe." Luna said with a frown. "I guess I'm going to have a sister too soon. Strange." She looked up at her boyfriend. "We need to go tell Daphne."

"Daphne? I thought we needed to tell Harry?" Neville asked in disbelief. Luna was a wonderful person but there were times he couldn't understand a word she was saying. "I don't even know where Daphne is, I haven't seen her since lunch yesterday."

"They're the same person? Maybe?" Luna's face wrinkled into an absurd expression. "That's never happened before." She blinked.

Neville started jogging, "Well you've got three floors to work it out, so let's go." Nodding to herself Luna followed, a hard glint in her eyes as she sprinted towards the nearest staircase.

OoooOoooO

'_Blood trails.' _The thought trickled through their minds simultaneously and they stopped running. The splatters were all over the place and went in multiple directions, making tracing them to the destination impossible. Their wands flicked into their hands as Blaise spun hers round in the pattern for _Homenum Revelio_."Two people inside." She whispered uneasily. "One of them is on the floor. It's not Hermione."

Hannah took the lead as she pressed her back against the wall next to the ajar door. She held up hand with three fingers, counting down from three. Susan banished the door open and Hannah rushed in, her disarming spell taking the standing girl in the back as she turned. Blaise went to shield the downed person whilst Padma checked her over.

"Pansy." Blaise spat out as the Slytherin turned. "Vanishing the evidence?" The Slytherin in question swallowed, she'd only gotten halfway through the cleaning after enervating the two thugs. Blaise didn't wait for her to come up with an excuse before smirking. "_Legilimens_."

"Hannah." Padma distracted her from her guard post at the door. "What's the cleanser for the erm... burnt crater residue?" She used their pet name for one of the dark blasting curses and Hannah's eyes fell to Lavender's body and the mess it had made of her chest.

Casting a few verbal counter spells, Hannah pulled a vial from her back pocket, passing it to Padma as she reached for it. "Healing charms should work now, that's my only blood replenisher." Padma didn't respond but she could feel her annoyance down the bond. "We're in school, how many did you have on you?" A wash of shame came back. "Thought so." She muttered under her breath as their healer turned back to the dying girl.

"She's lost a lot of blood and her internal organs are probably damaged. I've managed to stabilise her. I think." Padma frantically cast a few more charms and flesh knitted around exposed chunks of bone. "Dammit, that did more harm than good - her digestive system should be there... I can't heal this."

There was a thump as Pansy's body slammed against the opposite wall. The glassiness faded from Blaise's eyes as she blinked. "Susan can escort you to the hospital wing if you need it. Malfoy is taking Hermione to Riddle through Snape's floo. I'll need to go and tell Harry the password." She paused, massaging her temples. "Hannah, I guess you can deal with the bitch?" Susan looked a little green at the edges as she levitated the injured Gryffindor, Padma keeping up a small stream of spells beside her. Blaise and Hannah shared a troubled and slightly guilty look.

"Are you-" Pansy cut off as they glared at her.

"Susan isn't hard enough for this sort of thing, is she?" Hannah asked and Blaise nodded.

Taking a deep breath. Blaise let it out slowly. "She could barely stomach dealing with the ones that attacked her home. I wish Daphne was here, she'd have a plan by now. I have no idea what to do or even how to find him."

"He has the map, so head down to the dungeons and he'll probably find you." Hannah said slowly. "How bad is it?"

Pansy slunk down the wall as they kept talking, waiting for the wands trained on her to move an inch. "He's planning on having her possessed by a succubus on her majority and then bonded to Malfoy."

Red shimmers flickered across Hannah's eyes as her focus shifted to the cowering Death Eater. "Harry's going to need an alibi." She commented idly, turning back to Blaise. "Go." The violet eyed girl nodded and ran.

"W-What are you going to do, duffer?" Pansy got to her feet, courage slowly returning now she wasn't outnumbered. This was just a half-blood Hufflepuff, she told herself, you can do this. _Like Granger was just a mudblood... _A traitorous part of her whispered in the background.

"Never underestimate what a Hufflepuff would do for a friend." The pale white of Hannah's irises flared crimson as the anger left her wand.

A hole the size of a melon was punched into Pansy's chest as the body splattered and slid down the wall. A quick counter twist of Hannah's wand flushed the colour from her face and stripped the colour from her irises as she almost reverently whispered, "_Separare Animum_."

Mist started gathering from the corners of the room as she knelt down next to the corpse, not caring for the blood soaking into her uniform. "Something a lot of criminals never get is that vanishing a body is intrinsically idiotic idea." She explained to thin air, feeling particularly vindictive as she pulled out a rune-etched athame. "You see, after death, the body retains the old channels for magic and all the energy that wasn't spiritual in nature; and that fights any attempt to dissolve it into nothing."

"What-" A voice started speaking from the distance. "What are you talking about?"

"You see..." Hannah pricked her finger with the knife, letting her blood run down it. "No one really knows about it because it's only ever used necrourgy." The ghost fully formed above her. Hands poised to strike. The athame cut a line on the corpse's arm and the spirit reeled away, screaming as a black gash burnt into its ectoplasm.

Hannah laughed and it resonated through the planes of the dead like nails on a chalkboard, causing Pansy to flinch away even as the rune carving continued. "Animate it as is you get an inferi, add some spirit and you get something more intelligent, more... believable." Her work continued, shadows dancing in the whites of her eyes. "You know, I've never done this on a human before." She muttered.

An unearthly scream rent the hallway as Hannah started chanting, the ghost being dragged by black tendrils back into its body, the runes sealing up behind it. The corpse got slowly to its feet as Hannah lent back, smirking. "You will flee straight from the castle," She ordered firmly. "If anyone speaks to you will yell that you didn't do it and it wasn't you. When you escape you will flee into the forest and let yourself be devoured by a creature there, then you will depart from this realm." The corpse started sprinting to the door. Hannah barely managed to get a '_reparo_' off to fix its robes before it raced off down the corridor.

"Oh well," She muttered, struggling to get back to her feet. "At least the blood-stains will make it more realistic. _Evanesco_." A few bits of rib vanished. "_Scourgify, Scourgify, Scourgify_." The rest of the evidence joined it. Her last spell was the _episkey_ to heal the cut, just a little something to foil _Priori Incantatem._

Colour started to leech back into her irises as she walked down the corridor. In an hour, she might even feel guilt, or satisfaction. Until then, everything was going to be fine. Ice formed in her footsteps as she slotted her wand back into its holster and failed to react as Peeves fled from her presence.

OoooOoooO

Harry shook his head, watching the newly hatched snake nestle inside Daphne's blankets. It wanted to fall asleep in the hollow between her breasts no matter where he put it and couldn't seem to understand a word he was hissing. To be fair on the little girl, she was only twenty minutes old; parseltongue was a magical language so it didn't need to be taught but the snake was still an infant.

«_Warm_» It hissed cutely as its eyes closed. As first words, go it was pretty good.

Chuckling, Harry turned as the door opened. Luna looked serious. "I knew I'd find you here. Blaise said Hermione was in trouble. She was led off somewhere, _alone_." The stress of the last day came back in full as he stood quickly.

"Winky, bring me the map. Now." He snapped. The elf popped in and out, depositing the blank parchment in front of him. Harry activated it quickly, shifting it to the ground floor. The rest of the girls had just entered a classroom with Parkinson and Lavender but not Hermione... Slytherins always went to ground so he started flicking through the dungeons. They were mostly unoccupied, there was a potion class taught by someone who wasn't Snape... and people heading to Snape's office. Hermione Granger following Draco Malfoy. He tried Summoning her to him. Nothing happened. No, wait, they stopped for a moment. Moving again.

Harry tried again as he stood, eyes burning as he stood. "He is going to die." Luna didn't raise a question or protest as he sprinted down the stairs.

"Harry." Neville snapped as he waited at the entrance. "Do you need any help?"

"What you don't know, you can't testify to under Veritaserum." He snapped off. "It's just Malfoy."

"Remember the portraits!" Luna yelled after him as he dashed down the corridor. Smirking, Harry disillusioned himself mid-stride.

OoooOoooO

"Where the hell is Snape?" Malfoy asked himself as he paced back and forth. "He must have felt the wards go off so why isn't he here?" It must have been five, maybe ten minutes since he'd dragged Granger in here and discovered that the floo wouldn't work for him. The mudblood was shifting on the couch again, how the hell was she so resistant to stunning charms? "_Stupefy._" He snarled, going back to pacing.

Twelve meters away, stood two invisible figures. "What now?" Blaise whispered frantically as Harry extended his senses.

"It's heavily warded, and I can't untangle what all of these do so I'm going to try something stupid. Keep an eye out for Snape, we don't want him interrupting." Blaise nodded beside him as Harry clicked the fingers of his left hand, the ornate silver wand nearly slipping from his hand as he made the unfamiliar catch from his demiguise holster.

Switching the War-wand to his dominant hand he raised it to a comfortable level, visualising the page on the grimoire that the spell was described on. It was time to try his first full casting of a spell with this strange wand. "_Eilis Morou..._" The first rune cluster sprung from the wand's side, tracing glowing motes of energy in the air as his disillusionment rippled. Every syllable of the two sentence spell took as much energy as a standard reducto and Harry took it slowly. The whirling three-dimensional graph of fractal-esque runes sparkled and flickered in the air as, after thirty seconds of hard casting, its structure coalesced into a useable form. "_...missa depelle!_"

A multi-layered warhead of gold, blue and cream burst forth from the glyphs Harry had drawn and the battlefield version of F_inite Incantatem _smashed into the portrait to Snape's quarters.

Blaise and Harry were blasted back as their disillusionment charms failed, their magic flaring to protect them from the blast. The wards Snape had added to his rooms shredded like paper to a sword. The castle's enchantments increased their draw for a fraction of a second, and survived unhindered.

Draco Malfoy flicked his wand back and forth as shelves fell of the walls, the fire whooshed out, Snape's desk collapsed, broken items spilled from drawers and his own magic felt a sudden drain. Potions splattered across the floor from broken vials, changing colour as they mixed. But nothing fizzed, nothing burnt or exploded. It was the tamest interaction he'd ever seen.

Behind him, Hermione's eyes snapped open, the enchanted sleep caused by the stunning spell a forgotten memory. She didn't recognise the ceiling so clicked her fingers. No wand shot forth from her holster and she crushed her occlumentic barriers down. Her only reachable asset was the shield glove on her left hand, a knife and her arithmancy project. She needed a plan, fast.

Getting shakily to his feet, Harry wiped the sweat from his brow and frowned as he patted his back pocket. The expanded space that held all his potions had collapsed, glass digging into his arse as liquid dripped down his trousers. "Shit. I must have made a mistake somewhere."

"You think?" Blaise said from the floor. "I feel like I've just been hit by a dragon." She groaned and got back to her feet. "What the hell, the portrait's stopped moving?"

"The wards are down, but the castle's still active here." Harry commented, wishing his pepper-up potions hadn't disintegrated as he swapped wands. "Stunners only, we don't want to hit Hermione by mistake. The password?"

Blaise joined Harry in pointing her wand at the door. "_Liberum est Mortis._" It swung open.

"Final-" Draco Malfoy was cut off as two red beams hit him in the chest. Hermione rose behind him, a slender stick of ebony engraved with silver in her hands as a shield flared from her glove.

She watched Draco's head impact with a loud crack on the stone floor before her eyes met Harry's. A warm smile lit spread across their faces and somehow Hermione ended up in his arms, head resting against his neck. "You're okay." He stated and she nodded. "Go wait outside with Blaise, I'll deal with this mess." His eyes took in the room. "Damn, did you do this?"

"No. It was happening when I woke up." Hermione said nervously. "Could you summon my wand?" Harry did so, watching Draco's wand flip out the pocket after it. Kissing her lightly on the lips, he gave her a little push towards the exit.

"Go." He whispered and she blushed, a glance at the Marauder's map showed... that it was just a blank bit of parchment. Shit. Not only had he destroyed a valuable memento, he'd also had no idea whether he had the time to express his displeasure properly. "_Ennervate_."

"Hello Malfoy, you're looking a little pale." Draco looked up at the emotionless visage of his school rival and swallowed, one hand patting his pocket before he glanced down.

"_Ignis Feris._" The spell charred his hand and burnt the wand to ashes as he dived for it. Harry sighed. "You tried to take something of mine Malfoy, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"They'll kill you for this..." He tried to get out. "Ending a line like this, it's... barbaric and worth a Dementor's Kiss. The Dark Lord will end you." A faint smile touched Harry's face for the briefest of moments.

"I thought I might regret this, but you are just a bastard. All those insults, all those threats... tell me Draco, did you ever write a will?" Draco's eyes unfocused for a second before he started scuttling back against the wall, hands being sliced up the glass that littered the area.

"No... you can't." The boy's voice trembled as shivered against the wall. "They'll catch you." Harry laughed as a flick of his wand pulled Draco up the wall, spread eagle as conjured chains tried to pull the limbs from his body as Harry deliberately miscast the bondage spell. A twist stripped the cloth from his sleeve, bearing the Dark Mark for the world to see.

"Goodbye Draco." Harry turned his back on the child; a nonverbal spell the blonde didn't know sending strips of fire towards the wall.

"You're not just going to leave me here are you?" Malfoy yelled, laughing softly to himself. "You're actually going to leave me alive?"

Harry smirked, stepping out through the portrait hole. "Read the message Malfoy." Harry yelled back, turning to face him. The blond did so. _'Thus die all traitors' _was burning into the wall. Draco blinked. The cutting curse severed the head from his body in a fountain of blood and it rolled neatly along the floor and under a sofa.

"He was alive when I left the room." Harry said truthfully with a glint in his eyes as he turned the waiting girls. "Shall we, ladies?" A tap on the head made him disappear from sight and he started to slide both wands into their respective holsters as they walked off.

OoooOoooO

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for the inability to read a bloody textbook!" Snape scowled at the irritating first years. He was into the second half of the double period and the temptation to flick his wand and blast them all into tiny pieces was almost overwhelming. Two hours without casting a single dark spell and getting that wonderful bit of euphoria, it was-

"Severus." The Headmaster's quiet voice snapped him out of his internal monologue as the student wilted under his glare.

"Yes, Dumbledore?" He snapped at the old man.

"One of your just ran into the forbidden forest and was unfortunately..." Albus gave his best comforting smile and engaged in a little bit of creative censorship. "Killed. She was screaming something quite peculiar on the way out; I don't know whether you knew anything about it?"

Snape scowled, turning to the class. "Pack up your books and get the hell out of here." A wave of shocked faces looked at him. "Well, don't make me repeat myself!" They started fleeing.

"But professor, what about..." This year's Hermione bloody Granger cut off mid-sentence swallowing as she tried to break his gaze. Thank Merlin this one was a Ravenclaw and a half-blood; she, at least, knew when to shut up.

"Who was it and what was he saying?" Snape asked Dumbledore firmly.

The old man's eyes roved warily across the student body, it wasn't worth keeping quiet too many people had seen her. "She, my boy. It was Pansy Parkinson, and she was ever so insistent that she didn't do it. Whatever 'it' may be. Lavender Brown appears to have been subjected to a fairly nasty dark curse somewhere along the way, Poppy isn't sure if she can save her with the damage to her internal organs."

"It must have been that." Snape said to placate him, whilst they'd told him they'd be snatching the girl today that shouldn't have been happening for at least another hour! He'd told them he'd be teaching Defence for most of the day... Blasted... Dunderheads!

Albus turned, oblivious to his potion master's internal conflict. "It can't have been that." He mused. "Ms. Parkinson would have gone for help if she'd regretted that, her bearing- and the amount of blood suggested that she did something else. Possibly something she had no control over." He frowned at the eavesdropping students. "Perhaps we should move this discussion to your quarters?"

Snape shook his head. That would be the last thing he needed, to walk in on Draco and Hermione with the Headmaster. "Have you seen Potter lately?" Snape snarled. "He might have something to do with it."

Albus's expression became troubled, staring off into space. "It's a possibility. I will have to ask him... assuming I can find him. I can't recall seeing them anywhere other than the Great Hall of late." The man frowned at that. "Are you quite okay, Severus?"

"Took you long enough to notice." Snape bit out as he clutched his arm in apparent agony. "The Dark Mark..."

"It must be important for him calling you in the middle of a lesson. You should go at once, report to me as soon as you return, understood?" Albus said. "Yes, the seventh floor would be the best place to start..."

Snape burst from the room, cloak billowing behind him as the air twisted around him. His office was three floors away and he needed to get inside before Dumbledore came up with a reason to stop him.

"Marcus," he called out to the portrait as he reached the office, "is my godson in my quarters?" The portrait didn't answer. "Marcus?" It didn't move or wake up.

Possibilities raced through Snape's mind, none of them good, as he drew his wand from his belt. "_Liberum est Mortis._" The portrait swung open to reveal a headless body with the Dark Mark chained to his wall. Too small to be a seventh year or Crabbe or Goyle which made it Draco. his godson was dead. Snape's mind seized for a moment. Who did he report this too first? Dumbledore or the Dark Lord. He just...

Icy fear ran through him. Thus die all traitors? It couldn't be, could it? Surely... Surely Dumbledore would understand that he couldn't bear the agony if the call was real... Snape frowned, quickly lighting the fire and throwing some floo powder on it. The flames went out. Snape tried again and got the same response. This... couldn't be happening. He ran some of the powder through his hands, it had a different texture than normal and looking down it had lost its silvery sheen. The destruction about his room was starting to take on a more sinister tone.

This wasn't any magic Snape knew.

He turned on his feet and stalked from the room, Dumbledore was out of his office and, ironically, he didn't trust anyone else enough to use their floo. Sprinting, a very paranoid Severus Snape sprinted from the school outside to the apparition boundaries.

OoooOoooO

"Ah, Severusssss." The Dark Lord said with a lazy smile as he looked up from his notes. "I trust that Draco and the bitch made it here successfully?" Snape paled and looked down, so Voldemort sighed and picked up his wand.

"We have a problem." Snape said nervously. "It'll be easier for you to see it for yourself..." He met his gaze, carefully lowering the barriers to his mind as the other one plunged in to view the offered memories.

"_Crucio._" The potion master collapsed to the floor writhing in agony as he pondered this new information. The killing was too bloody for Dumbledore, too advanced for the Scapegoat-Who-Lived and it definitely wasn't the Ministry's style. That left the Department of Mysteries, possibly even the old girl herself; but the oaths and agreements every employee took would explicitly prohibit them from attacking his followers directly... So an agent of theirs, perhaps even a student. Whom did he know that would fit that bill? No one, it was only the Slytherins and possible enemies he normally paid attention to.

Severus let out a shaky breath as the curse was lifted, taking a few moments to collect himself and resurrect his mental barriers. "I'm sorry, My Lord." He apologized.

"Oh, Severus, you have no idea what you're apologizing for, do you?" The Dark Lord leaned back in his chair. "I admit that Draco's failure rests mostly on his head and has gone on for far, far too long. This was his third failed mission in a row. You couldn't help but miss the ward alarms whilst trying to deal with those imbeciles in your class." He steepled his fingers, with a thoughtful expression. "And no, to answer your unspoken question, it wasn't me who killed Draco, the evidence though points the finger firmly at an agent of the Department of Mysteries." He smirked. "They were most displeased when I left them all those decades ago, but you know how long it takes a bunch of Ravenclaws to get around to actually doing something, don't you?"

Snape nodded and he continued. "Normally their contact in the school is either the Runes or Arithmancy teacher, but Dumbledore has a deep dislike of their organisation so it could be anyone... The culprit in this case is most likely someone who has private lessons or detentions with a teacher on a regular basis. When you find them, you will draw Dumbledore's attention to them and let _him_ expose them."

Snape looked up questioningly and the Dark Lord rolled his eyes. Why did his smart followers always seek to know all the circumstances about their mission? "Dumbledore will make another enemy and the 'Department' will face scrutiny that might actually reveal them for what they are. This way we use their hatred to set them at each other's throats." He stood up and started pacing.

"What about Granger, my lord?" Perhaps his question was ill-advised but it gave him room to think.

"Read her mind, find out what happened - it's possible she knows the culprit. Maybe you can say you felt her enter the room with Draco, get Dumbledore to allow veritaserum if you can." He smirked. "But- don't hurt her. The bitch is now up with Potter on the list of people I will deal with personally. Our remaining assets in the castle are now tasked with finding a way to eliminate Dumbledore." He laughed. "Without someone able to channel the leyline's power against me they won't stand a chance when I assault the castle. Oh, and write me a letter for Granger's parents about her performance would you?"

Snape nodded. "Of course, my lord."

"Good, now." His arms grabbed hold of Snape's and pulled it sharply towards him, his wand burning into the mark on Snape's arm. "Potter and his friends need to pay for taking this wonderful resource away from me." He snorted at the man's confused expression as he gestured at the building around them. "Severus, surely you remember Draco's arrogant boast that he could deliver the Black and Potter fortunes to me as the boy was his _'closest blood relative'_?"

OoooOoooO

Dumbledore arrived back at his Gargoyle with a frown - he'd canvassed the entirety of the seventh floor and hadn't seen a sign of occupation or even usage except for the usual cleaning of House Elves. The seventh floor was curious like that, the highest in the castle and normally reserved for staff offices. So for some bizarre reason the cleaning charms didn't seem to work up here.

He'd been expecting to encounter hasty ward work from Granger, possibly a few traps from the Slytherins to where they'd been camping out but he'd found nothing on the castle's most unused floor. Even so, the portraits all reported their presence and coming and goings from areas that held no sign of habitation. Therefore, they must still be residing in their dormitories despite the portrait's assurances. Walking through into his office he sat down at his desk with a most severe frown. The death of Ms. Parkinson and the attempted murder of Ms. Brown had to be regarded as the symptoms of a far greater problem.

But who was causing it? On the surface this had nothing to do with Harry and his little youthful rebellion, but there was certainly the chance that others, certain Slytherin others, had viewed his indulgence with the boy in an attempt to regain lost trust as a licence to do whatever they liked. But why Ms. Brown? They were more likely to choose a pureblood for a mission of some sort, not an outright attack...

Which meant he was missing some of the pieces to this puzzle. An owl swooped down on his desk. How irritating, Madam Bones was informing him that she would be arriving later to investigate 'possible criminal activity' occurring in the castle. Blast her. Though it might provide an opportunity to resolve her apparent hardening of stance against him. He still maintained a small belief that Tom had gotten to her somehow and Susan's avoidance of him was most suspicious. If only he didn't need most of his time to deal with the ICW and juggle his other political commitments this term everything would have gone so much smoother. Now it just seemed like time kept passing him by!

"Come in Severus." He said, unlocking the door with a wave. "What did-" He looked. "Merlin, do you need a trip to the hospital wing, you look terrible?"

Snape winced at his assessment. "I'll be fine, we have a bigger problem." Albus raised an eyebrow. "Draco is dead; he was murdered in my quarters."

"That would mean the end of the Malfoy line." Dumbledore was troubled at the thought, another family out of his control and influence but thankfully not eliminated. There were still their French relatives, if he could entice them back to England. "Do you have any idea who did it?" He stood slowly from his desk, gesturing to the door.

Snape shook his head as they went to leave. "Whilst I would love to blame Potter for this, he is simply incapable of the magic used. They destroyed all of my wards without a single alarm triggering. The Dark Lord has his own belief, but... I'm not certain how much of that is his insanity and how much of it could be reality. He seems to believe that someone might have been taught by the Department of Mysteries, and sent them at the boy but..." Snape shrugged.

"None of their agents are here at this school; I have made quite sure of that." Dumbledore said firmly as they emerged from the gargoyle. "It's only because they do very little harm that I allow their continued existence."

Snape looked askance at his bitter tone. "I thought they were just a Ministry department?"

The old man snorted. "Yes, a Ministry department that receives no funding from taxes, has no source of income, maintains no record of its employees or allows their identities to become known. A department established by a rather mediocre Dark Lady almost three centuries ago as a 'research and development' department. The artefacts, books and other things she managed to acquire over her lifetime have not been seen since. The knowledge the department must have acquired over the centuries should be amazing yet they refuse to share it with anyone."

"But why hasn't anyone tried to take all of that from them?" Snape asked nervously.

"Simple, they're sitting in the middle of an underground leyline almost as powerful as Hogwart's and there is no record of the Lady Blake's death or defeat. It's quite possible she's still alive down there with the knowledge of three centuries at her beck and call." The headmaster mused as they reached the stairs. "Now then, let us take this discussion to your quarters. There is no way this is a simple as it might seem..."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Tiny cute snake is cute xD (yeah, I'm weird). I have to admit that one of my pet peeves at the moment revolves around parseltongue. Mainly, why do so many fanfics have a written form of it when it's the magical language of snakes; snakes being creatures that don't have hands and therefore can't actually write anything? It just bugs me a little.<em>

_As a general note, I do have almost another chapter written, but as I'm intending to stop writing and focus on my studies this term, it's unlikely to get finished for at least a month. My apologies to you all, but the degree comes first and I have several projects that need completing first. Also, thanks to everyone who commented on me thinking my story wasn't that brilliant._

_I may occasionally release update for other stories or odd one-shots but they will be attempts to relax, not a sign I'm giving up on this. _


	13. Apology & Discontinuation

It's been a year since the last update. Yeah.

Right, so. People who've been paying attention to my profile will note that this story has been undergoing a rewrite. Unfortunately that won't be happening.

Why?

I have to force myself to fill in the backstory, to write down the reasons behind everything to think about how the characters would react to something as opposed to wondering why they've reacted that way. In short I've lost interest and enthusiasm for my story of blended cliches.

That and it's pretty much developed into a piece of original fiction with a splattering of In Name Only characters and other mistakes that make me sit back in reflection and ask 'What have I wrought?'.

I would like to thank you all for reading this sordid tale and I apologise for its lack of conclusion.

That said, the next chapter on this site is the unreleased material, general spoilers and plotline I have lying around on my hard-drive for those of you who want to know what was going to happen.

What follows is my own reflection on The Reluctant Lord, my errors in writing it and it's rewrite:

* * *

><p>The Reluctant Lord started as an excuse to write erotica. It has all the trappings of it in the first chapter, one guy with a lot of girls and magic as an excuse to come up with weird and bizarre things that aren't possible in reality. They were mostly things that seemed like a good idea at the time, and if it's something I've learnt from experience it's that things written or conceived off at 3AM need to be thoroughly, thoroughly checked if they're going to be placed in anything other than the 'lolwut' folder in the writing section of my hard drive. No matter how 'interesting' they seem.<p>

I didn't do this with TRL and I should never have published the first chapter before thinking things through. For an erotic quick-fic it's okay, it introduces characters, establishes that things are different enough to let this little fantasy play out but doesn't spend forever agonising over the details. It simply nods that, yes Harry is a Badass that someone the guys would like to be and yes the varying girls that he'd normally like to talk to are also covered in super snowflake glitter and we can get onto the emotional aspect of kinky BDSM multi-partner relationships our inner libido would kinda-maybe like to experiment with behind closed doors. Or maybe that's just me.

However I then started asking myself questions as to why this was happening. Why would the social norm be broken that much? I have read far too much of the later Anita Blake books because my mind immediately jumped to some kind of mystically boosting hocus-pocus thingumy plot point. The end result I eventually decided on was based loosely on the the Majesty Discipline from the Vampire RPGs with some judicious idea procurement from fanfics whose names I have unfortunately forgotten. The end result was the 'Lordship' ability which is basically a twisted mix of spiritual vampirism, empowerment and manipulation.

One of my problems with the rewrite was trying to come up with a reason for its existence other than 'just because'. I had magic use as the combination of two mutations, one in the soul that allowed it to store energies and the other in the 'mind' that allowed it to control them. Simple things with a complex and interesting result. The Lordship thing resembled something jacked into existence by a Xel'naga, god, Ancient Race or other Deus Ex Machina that I really didn't want to deal with. But I almost had to because it's abilities were very complex, very powerful and the plot revolved around it.

The whole 'Bubonic Dragon Plague' strikes 17th century magical world, and, due to teleportation, instant travel and all kinds of panic, regresses their technology and results in oppressive conservative governments whilst leaving awesome stuff for the cast to play with wasn't as much of a plot hole and I was still concerned about it. It wasn't even in the readers face, just paraded in as a token explanation as to why no one's done this before and then paraded out.

Similarly the whole 'bloodline abilities' thing was an excuse to have some erotic ritual scenes thrown into the story _and_ have unintended kinky side effects. It was only after I'd written and published Daphne's scene that I realised that all the others would be pretty much the same. It was also my excuse for mass lesbianism. Which is either a good or a bad thing depending on whether you were reading the story for the smut or for the porn.

Thus I had the beginnings of a slow kink fic with a splattering of plot that would hopefully avoid the intricate descriptions of sexual organs that plagues terrible fanfics that revolve around sex.

Unfortunately my mind ran away with the concept and didn't just stick to the kink. Thus bloodline abilities started to become a very important part of the TRL setting. It reached the point where an 'Ancient' house was one with a bloodline ability and a 'Noble' house was one that could trace it's past back to the founding 'Lords' of Magical Britain circa eleventh-twelfth century. They even became a core point of this universe's Dumbledore, as a man who wallowed in the past, constantly attempting to preserve as much of 'their great age' as possible. At least that was his motivation for part of the story, it occasionally oscillated between that and ensuring that as many souls as possible left this realm for The Light. Yep, 'I shall take your darkness upon myself for your greater good' Dumbledore.

I'd read too many Cackling Evil Dumbledore fics and wanted to try for a more morally gray fanatical Dumbledore that cared more for the sanctity of your immortal soul than your life on this plane. Better for the masses to dies as followers of the light than to live long enough to succumb to darkness, after all.

I may have possibly been drawing too much on the HP/Warcraft crossover plot bunny I have lying around in a hutch somewhere.

But I digress, the introduction of bloodlines and the implications that the rest of society had them started the snowballing of TRLs greatest problem. It couldn't decide if it wanted to be porn with plot, plot with porn, a slightly erotic thriller or an exploration of concepts and frankly, neither could I. Both the story and my notes are filled with digressions, notes on planes, how the magic works in this setting and all kinds of other things that really aren't important to the story.

I was trying to take the Fridge Magic of Rowling and retrofit it into a logical framework where attempting the same thing and expecting to get different results was madness. Necromancy, Dark Magic, dark magic, normal magic, emotional magic, divination, the planes the energy came from, the creatures on these planes, wands, staffs, orbs, rods. I had plans for all of them, plots revolving around them and it was all going to degenerate into a humongous mess as magic was no longer simply a tool to help the story along but a plot point in of itself. And a pointless plot point at that. Story bloat had come in and transformed whatever I had on my hands before into a scum riddled mess that was going nowhere fast.

This is ultimately what killed the rewrite: Harry Potter had become a window dressing for a story that had very little to do with Rowlings world. If I'd have finished it I could have changed the names and tried to sell it. Harry Potter was more Ender than Harry, Voldemort was slowly turning into a crafty, competent sociopath using wizarding society and Harry as his own tools for his own crazy reasons. Dumbledore was a tired fanatic clinging to the flames of his belief amid a wizarding society that was a crippled husk of a bygone era plucked clean by the DoM and the last Great Lady of Magical Britain. Not exactly a schoolyard drama.

There were reasons for this that if you squinted at them right made this world resembled Rowling's - The Potter bloodline was the major one, as it was the most overpowered one in existance: mimicry. Of course Harry's had a fragment of Voldemort's soul and thus inherent magical abilities stuck in his forehead for him to mimic. Voldemort's 'arbitrarily augmented by dark rituals' innate abilities. I had this as at least making him stronger, smarter and healing a lot quicker as well as conveniently immune to killing curses.

My mental view of this world became gradually more jaded and further and further away from both what I'd started with and the base universe by Chapter 8 or so it had clearly moved on from a erotic quick-flick to something with depth and a half-assed attempt at a plot, the schism between start and end getting worse and worse until last chapter when I realised that, at the very least, I needed to rewrite it so that my backstory and bonus fun pointless items and powers made a semblance of sense. Frankly I'm amazed (and still am) that it was as popular as it was.

My decision to announce that I'd stopped work on it pending a rewrite felt like the best idea at the time. I had every intention of turning my flashbacks, half-baked ideas and other inconsistencies into a foundation that I could build a tale worth telling from. It went fairly well until I tried to firmly plot out the fourth year. The Triwizard tournament and the subsequent resurrection of Voldemort is the most important part of the series. The story moved from children's fiction to teen's fiction and it is either the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end, depending on how you want to look at it.

The problem I had with is was that no matter how I looked at it, I couldn't quite see a way in which the background I'd thought up led to the story I'd posted so far. When I was just experimenting with the thought of erotica and wasn't expecting anyone to pay any attention to my stories that was okay. With a story revolving at least in part around political intrigue and serious issues, it's not. That is ultimately why the story died.

In reflection I made two very large mistakes with this story: My first was publishing it too soon. I was trying my hand at something new and didn't know how it would turn out. That should have been a good a reason as any to postpone it, even more so when I realised that what I was actually writing wasn't what I had originally thought. The second mistake that I made was introducing too many elements to my story. For me a good story is somewhere between ten and a hundred and fifty thousand words that end with a viable conclusion. With all the unnecessary elements I'd added to this it was looking to be a good 200k+ when it would have been better to leave it as a main story with the possibility of a few short stories exploring the setting I'd made up in my head. [/rant]

Hopefully this has been a vaguely interesting insight into my lines of reasoning behind canning this story.


	14. Ch 13 And Things Left Unsaid

**AN: **This is what I had written for chapter 13 of the original story and the pre-rewrite outline of the plot. It is here for speculation / to provide closure and would change drastically if I ever wrote it as it is more than a bit of a mess.

* * *

><p><strong>13. Retaliation<strong>

_18th October, Daphne's Room_

"I'm sorry I let them take me." Hermione murmured and Harry's arms tightened around her.

"It's my fault for letting you get taken." His words ruffled her hair as he nuzzled her hair. "I'm supposed to be the one protecting you."

"But-" Hermione stopped as hand moved up and pressed against her mouth, small snake on the bedsheets hissing something that made Harry snort. "Is she going to be okay?" She had to ask, Daphne's sleeping form adding to the unease that was swirling in her stomach.

"She's fairly stable now, but I have no idea when she is going to wake up." Harry said reluctantly. "I could really use her right now." Hermione tilted her head back and he smiled faintly. "So far I know that we need to get certain questions asked under truth serum, and that there are some that we can't allow to be asked, but I have no idea how to tweak the laws so we can do it."

"Maybe that's why I'm feeling so anxious. My body feels like I should be doing some-" She paused, making Harry look down. "But it's not mine is it, the others are really anxious because they let me go off alone and it's bleeding out onto me and..."

Harry burst out laughing. "And you're wound tighter than a clock's spring." He said to her completely astounded face as he pulled her up from the couch he'd conjured earlier. "Let's go and reassure them then, get everyone to relax a little. After all, no one got hurt."

Hermione stopped. "What about Malfoy, and Pansy?"

Harry just shrugged as he started down the staircase. "They don't count." He answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "I really should learn some of the spells that Hannah has learnt since the start of term."

~ O ~

_One Mile below Gringotts Bank, Silvereye Clan Tunnels_

The goblin, known to the surface as Skullcrusher, cast the bones of his predecessor into the bowl for the fifth time. The blood of the creature he'd sacrificed congealed at the bottom, covering the runes he'd painted on with the Alchemist's offering. Fate, it seemed, was tired of his games.

The goblin skittered and hissed as one of the few working light runes they had left spluttered and died. Today was not a good day to be a goblin. The first bone was a finger small, for details it's surface soaked in glistening red apart from one little rune. _Death_. It's message whispered in his head as he licked the bone clean. Copper from the blood, silver from the rune, magic from them both. _Death_. Was the only clear rune on the next bone and the next.

A shaking hand reached for the seventh 'bone', the most potent. His predecessors' grimshek, the bone of metal and his cause of death. A large lump of copper, iron and gold with a glimmering vein of mithril that kept it pulsing with a slow internal life. Only one rune was left on its surface.

_Opportunity._

The goblin warlock jerked upright, schemes and plots racing in his head. The mixture of metals tasted sweet in his mouth as his eyes darted side to side. Reaching for his axe and staff he rose quickly, collecting nick-nacks, tools and runes, sliding them into pouches and pockets. The carcass of the worm-thing slid between his teeth. Blood spilled onto leather as he opened the three locks to his cave. Slightly fresher air and a collection of grimaces met his appearance.

Kol'dran, chieftain of their clan, bared teeth and snarled looking away as his hand reached for the lumps of metal in the pouch at his waist. The two warriors of the clan tensed and Jorluk's formed into what humans would call a 'grim smile', then again, their closest analogue would be a sneer of contempt. _[Afraid, warlock?] _He asked as though it was something to be ashamed of.

_[Fear is the most powerful emotion we have.] _Kol'dran stated firmly, not even bothering to look at the heir apparent of the clan as the goblins blind eye rotated to fix the youngster in its gaze. _[My hand what have you bartered from the-spider-that-weaves that you dress for visible-bloody-conflict?]_

_[Death and opportunity-we-must-seize.] _Skullcrusher replied. _[Whose death though? Mine, yours? We are not young.] _His eyes darted to Jorluk's. _[The clan's death, our enemies death? The Alchemist's? His followers?] _The goblin shook his head, looking worried. _[Our clan is too small, my connections too spread to be certain.]_

_[Then you should never have gotten involved with surface dwellers or Gringotts. The green-skin will take us for all we're worth and your sorcerous trickery is worthless.] _The youngest goblin in the room spat on the floor and glared at them. _[I have better things to do than waste time here.] _Kol'dran claws rested on the mithril axe their clan was famous for, the partial draw bathing the room in the faintest of moonlight. After a few moments, the elder slipped it back into its sheath. _[We are weaker than ever.] _Jorluk snarled, turning to leave, his guards halting halfway out the door.

_[Guard the tunnels.] _Kol'dran snarled, his will forcing them away from the pair. _[The surface-goblin can die on his own.] _He spat on the ground in disgust. _[The waste-of-air is not even worthy of a ritualistic death. How is he the only one-who-binds-us born in this clan? Is it a curse? Some petty revenge of the brewers or the gemcrafters he'd sell us to without a moment's regret?] _The ranting cheiftan swore fouly, blind eye tinting red as his anger made itself known in small ways. _[Have they forgotten how we survived their attempt to destroy us last time?] _His good eye locked with the warlock's. _[Demon-Binder]_

_[You know we cannot pay that cost again. Just like none of my students are worthy of the title Demon-Bringer. We would be Silvereye with nothing that makes us Silvereye.] _The warlock snarled. _[Who else will keep our faith and magic alive? Gringott? The green-skin who lusts to be human, like their clan always has?]_

_[But you scryed for a way out, with the very last of our metals and they led you to the surface.] _Kol'dran gave the goblin equivalent of a smile. _[And secured the accounts of the human who would become an alchemist, right under Gringott's nose.]_

_[Without a chieftain we will die by our own hands.] _The warlock muttered uneasily.

- They argue amongst themselves for a bit. This warlock being the main goblin Harry & Co. do business with. The chieftain of their tribe boils their situation down to a question of who they hate more and they come up with a plan...

_[Almost twenty generations ago the wand-wielders drove us from the surface. Who do you despise more, the humans who have forgotten or the goblins who took us in, took our metals and have been trying to destroy our clan?] _The warlock paused, turning to look at the sole creature he both respected and feared. _[I am a Silvereye of Silvereye and though our clan has lost this subtle war I will do what my ancestors could not.]_ Kol'dran's limbs trembled as stood stock still. _[I will see the sun before I die.] _The old goblins body spasmed and a bloody wad of stone and flesh scattered along the ground as he fumbled for a vial of swirling silver.

The warlock seized his hands and forced the liquid metal down the other goblins throat, watching and waiting as his body metabolizes the silver and filtered off the magic it contained. _[I'm living on borrowed time and magic, Binder.]_ He said as the trembling stopped. _[But I have a plan. Do the best you can for the alchemist. Ensure no one else can claim his accounts and survive the day. Then, then the war they all wanted can begin.] _He bared teeth. _[For Jorluk will be dead and we will have nothing left to lose.]_

- This bit would need heavy editing to make their connections with Harry & Co. more obvious as well as Jorluck and the cheifetan's position as Lords (as a more primal race, goblins only really form large groups under the command of a Lord type that stops them from killing each other)

~ O ~

_18th October, Dinner Time, The Great Hall_

"Can I have your attention please." Dumbledore twanged his spoon against his goblet, allowing a faint ringing sound to disperse into the babble of rumours and hurried conversation. Everyone ignored him, how rude. "I said, _can I have your attention, _please." Only the Slytherins shut up, throwing dirty looks in his direction, though the rest of the hall carried on, with the 'Black House' or the 'bunch rulebreaking misfits' in his opinion carried on plotting amongst the Hufflepuffs.

Why the last time he'd seen this level of chaos and disobedience was in Riddle's seventh year when he was starting to gather followers... That was an unpleasant thought. Pointing his wand to his throat the Headmaster stood. "_**Thank You**_." His voice boomed across the hall, the teachers next to him at the head table flinching away as silence struck the hall.

"For listening to what I have to say." Dumbledore continued, schooling his features into a grandfatherly grimace of regret. "Unfortunately I have grave news to announce to you all. I'm sure you all aware by now of Ms. Parkinson's unfortunate demise at the hands of a Blast-ended Screwt, what you may not be aware of and what I wanted to correct before the rumours got even more out of hand, was that she was undoubtedly under the imperious curse at the time." His twinkling eyes surveyed the silent hall.

"In fact, it is quite possible that she was used for the sole purpose of murdering Draco Malfoy, who died earlier today." There was some nervous giggling and hushed whispers spread like wildfire through the room. It sickened the headmaster just how gleeful many of his students were, did no one realise the significance of this? It was terrible. Utterly terrible, and he hadn't been able to detect a thing other than some dark residue in room.

"Enough." He silenced the masses a little forcefully, allowing his aura to flare. "I assure you that we will be doing our best to apprehend the suspect." There were snorts and sniggers. He caught the elder Greeengrass sister mouthing 'Heir of Slytherin' to the younger. Yes, well, that hadn't been one of his better years. "And I implore you all to have a moment of silence to reflect on the good memories we have of them, so they may never truly leave us."

There was a moment of absurd confusion as most of the hall tried to associate 'good memory' with 'Draco Malfoy' before the doors to the great hall slammed open. Narrowed eyes, short grey hair billowing back and combat robes cut delicately in black. Madam Bones made quite an impression on Hogwarts even before the six Aurors she'd brought with her filled in behind her.

Four of those Auror's peeled off to the Slytherin table, and Snape glared uneasily in their direction. "Albus." The Head of the DMLE said with a smirk as she came to a stop near the Head table. "I'm here to investigate an attempted kidnapping against the member of an Ancient and Most Noble House." Her eyes were fixed on Dumbledore's, one foot behind the other, wand arm loosely raised in front of her. Even the fourth years could recognise the beginnings of a dueling stance when they saw one.

"We're missing Malfoy and Parkinson." Kingsley called from the sidelines. "Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe you are under arrest as suspects to the attempted kidnapping of a member of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. How do you plead?"

Neither of the two were particularly known for their intelligence, nor their ability to avoid being caught. What little they had that passed for thought was caught up on one little thing. "She was just a mudblood!" They announced together, to the whole school.

"I'll call that guilty." Luciena called as she started stalking towards them.

"Get your hands off me!" Goyle said loudly, spinning and sending the auror trying to hold him flying against the wall. A flick of Lucrencia's wand and he was petrified, another and he was supended in middair.

"Add resisting arrest to the charge sheet." She said in a bored tone, another twirl vanished the robe and sleeve of Goyle's left arm. The Slytherin's shivered as they caught the first emotion to pass over the head Auror's face since she'd entered the room. Hateful glee seemed to curse her features as soon as she saw the Dark Mark. "Death Eater." Her mouth hardened into a line. "Check the other one."

Kingsley did so. "I was imperioused!" Crabbe yelled. "It was... Malfoy. Yeah, Malfoy!" He yelled out.

"Then why did the curse suddenly fail?" Amelia asked with a sneer. "But we're getting off track. Dumbledore, where are Malfoy and Parkinson?"

Dumbledore swallowed, getting his voice back after the final round of the day's shocks. "Can we take this discussion to my office?"

"As far as I'm concerned Dumbledore you're a wanted criminal who managed to skive off thirteen life sentences in Azkaban with one good bribe." The old man winced as his gift emphasised the truth in her barb. "So, no I will be talking to you alone, in your office and I'm warning you now, if you so much as commit a secrecy violation I will end you. Now, where are Malfoy and Parkinson?"

"They're dead." Dumbledore said, laying both hands down on the table in front of him.

"Really?" Amelia said with a look of disbelief. "Then why hasn't the Ministry been informed? The Aurors should have been called. Or their family for that matter." She smirked. "So, I'll repeat myself, where are Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, wand clearly in hand.

Dumbledore sighed. "Like I said, they are dead. I've been trying to get to the bottom of what happened but the only witness is recovering in the hospital wing. Now, can I ask why you are here for attempted kidnapping when I assumed you'd come for the murder case?"

"I'll answer that one." Harry said, standing with the grace of a man holding all the cards. "Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle attempted to kidnap my vassal Hermione Granger, I believe they intended to hand her over to Riddle. Or, as he is more commonly known, _Voldemort_." A shiver passed through the hall as power briefly infused his voice. "They were removing her from the castle via Snape's floo when I intervened." A smirk crept onto his face. "For the sake of the Hogwarts rumour mill I will state now that Malfoy was alive when I left the room. I was almost certain the ministry would execute him after interrogation and if not." Harry shrugged. "All four of their Houses will be in a blood fued with the House of Black and, depending on the results of the investigation, so will the House of Prince."

"Harry, I'm sure Severus had nothing to do with this." Dumbledore tried anxiously, tapping the ley-lines below Hogwarts to keep his gift active and stronger than ever, as he turned to the potions professor. "Isn't that right?"

"Of course I had nothing to do with this." Snape bit out, turning towards him. The Headmaster's eyes widened, sparkles extinguished for a moment. The man was lying. Why had Severus gone along with this plot without informing him about it? The man had known he'd wanted to be rid of Granger for months, but not by handing the brightest witch in the school to their enemy! Dumbledore's mind raced, missing the conversation going on in the great hall as he tried to slot this into the sequence of events and the truth that Harry had left the last Malfoy alive.

This made it all the more likely that Snape's evidence about an agent of the DoM was nothing more than a ruse, to lead him off the trial and set him up against a new enemy. A very well entrenched enemy. He frowned at that because it meant that the Dark Lord has disposed of two of his own followers and if they were properly bonded that wouldn't have happened...

"Tell them, Dumbledore." Snape's insistent demand cut through his thoughts and brought him back to reality. The four witnesses were already by the door, hidden by aurors and he needed to talk to them so maybe it was time to... He dismissed the thought out of hand, he couldn't afford to do that yet, so he'd have to play his Chief Warlock card instead...

"Tell them what exactly?" Dumbledore asked eventually, falling even further in the eyes of everyone there.

"That I was teaching defence the entire time and therefore could not have been involved in the half-arsed plot of these imbeciles!" Severus exclaimed quickly, trying to convey the fact that he couldn't afford to be interrogated without a trip back to the dungeons.

"Yes, quite." Dumbledore said firmly, trying to calculate an easy way out of this. "I've been investigating the murders of the Head of the Malfoy line and his betrothed." Madam Bones went to open her mouth and he overrode her calmly. "Chief Warlock is the highest position of Law Enforcement you know, though I will appreciate some extra help..." He trailed off in what he hoped was a placating tone as he ramped his aura up. "Now, since Professor Snape is a professor of the castle, I'm sure you won't mind me performing his interrogation whilst you deal with the students."

Madam Bones shook her head regretfully. "If you insist, however should his name come up in the testimony of Crabbe and Goyle, I will have to ask for the opportunity to question him under veritaserum at a later date."

"Yes," Dumbledore said absently, turning to Snape. "If you'll meet me in my quarters we can get this sorry matter over with." The potions professor nodded and started leaving, the other Death Eaters in Slytherin house felt a chill as their compatriots were not defended, Gryffindors were not insulted and their handler and defender fled from the halls with his coat-tails flailing wildly.

The next day, when they found out that whilst Potter, Granger and the last two Death Eaters in sixth year were escorted from the castle, Snape had broken into McGonagall's office and used her floo to escape, that chill would turned to outright despair.

OoooOoooO

_Later that Evening, Ministry Interrogation Room_

"My apologies, Lord Black for the additional witnesses here today but I felt it best if the testimony from this trial was incontestable." Madam Bones said as Harry nodded confidently, settling into the rather comfortable chair he was sitting in. She seemed a little nervous, but she was the one who'd argued against allowing veritaserum for use one everyone but Hermione. Just as he'd suspected, everyone who was someone wanted to see for themselves if the Boy-Who-Lived was guilty of killing the last Malfoy for his own personal gain.

Shacklebolt and Tonks watched the known dark supporters in the room as Harry smiled and let the show begin. "I have nothing to hide." He lied.

"Administer the veritaserum." Amelia commanded reluctantly, certain that this was going to go hideously, hideously wrong. Her assistant did so. "What's your name." She asked after her Lord had been under its effects for a few seconds.

"Harry James Potter." He replied tonelessly, eyes having the customary glassy look that those under the potion had.

"What is the position of Hermione Granger within House Black?" She asked, the glassyness in his eyes shimmering slightly.

"Consort." Harry replied in the same tone. There was a shocked hush before the crowd who'd come to watch his testimony erupted in noise and whispered conversations as the case changed from attempted kidnapping to possible line theft or worse if either Draco or one of the thugs had planned on raping the girl and then obliviating her. Some of the purebloods were, naturally pointing out that she was only a mu-gleborn and a wife would supersede the claim anyway...

Only The Croaker from the DoM noticed Harry blink and swallow whilst they bickered. The women ghosting away from the interrogation moments after it began.

"Order." Amelia shouted eventually. "The potion will only last for so long. Now, Harry, did you kill Draco Malfoy?"

"No." His emotionless voice sparked another round of hushed whispers.

"Do you know who killed him?" A Mister Arandine injected quickly, risking his neck for possible political gain.

"No." Harry said emotionlessly as Tonks laid a hand on the man's shoulder.

"You're under arrest for Usurption of Testimony, please come quietly." The man swallowed and nodded, leaving with the Auror. His question hadn't been that bad and the fine would be minimal.

"Mister Potter, could you recite the sequence of events that led you to calling me this afternoon?"

Doing his best not to smile as the room focused back on him, Harry gave his imaginary version of events to the room, painting both Dumbledore and Snape in the worst light possible. They ate it up like the finest caviar.

OoooOoooO

"Well, that went surprisingly well." Harry remarked as the three of them relaxed in Amelia's office two hours later. "We were lucky that neither of those two thugs managed to say anything about your choice of spells, or their injuries, but I think we have sufficient evidence to claim they were obliviated by the same person who removed Parkinson if it comes to that..." He mused to himself.

"I need to think up a thank you for Hannah for that." Hermione said as she snuggled into his side. Amelia, swirled the pepper-up potion into her tea with a spoon. It had been a very tiring day. "How long do you think it will be until the goblins give you access to the Malfoy assets?"

Harry shrugged, idly running a hand down her side. "I don't know, if a will reading takes at least a few days, I doubt it'll happen before December. Do you have any experience with this Amelia?"

She snapped out of her own thoughts with a bit of a start. "Ah, well, As much as I'd like to raid Malfoy manor tomorrow your estimate is probably more realistic." She frowned as she watched Hermione shiver as Harry's hand slid under her shirt. "Please, try to keep up a semblance of propriety, I'm not quite ready to imagine my niece in a similar position."

Harry laughed, starting to run his other hand through Hermione's hair. "I nearly lost her today, so forgive me for being a little possessive. Soon, I'll have to go back to the castle and deal with the old man. That's not going to be fun."

Amelia snorted. "Don't remind me. I'm going to have to get Snape out from under his grasp." Harry smiled warmly at the girl in his arms.

"When you do, remember to keep him in a holding cell on a diet of purgatives for three days so he can't use the antidote to beat the truth serum. I'm almost certain he's not an alchemist so he can't transmute it like I did." Harry remarked absently. "How's the training going?"

"Very well, I hate to admit this but I was disturbingly rusty when they attacked the manor and paranoia is the aim of the game if I don't want to end up with pink hair again. Remus and Tonks are..." She shivered. "Marauders is not the term I'd use. Speaking of Remus he's developed some very interesting charms I think you might be-" She trailed off, eyes snapping to the door. A wave of her wand and the dome of silence fell.

"Magical disturbance in Crawley." Gawain said between breaths as Hermione froze in his arms. "The detection grid's down. Might be an attack."

"Voldemort's retaliating." Harry snarled, focusing on the feeling of his other militia. "Where's the nearest apparation point, we're heading to the Grangers immediately."

"I can do it from here, but I don't know the location-" Whatever else she was going to say as the pair scrambled to their feet, wands already in hand.

"The incantation's legilimens." Hermione snapped, looking Amelia in the eye. "You can take Harry and he can take me." She jerked her head towards the other man.

She cast the spell and they popped out.

OoooOoooO

Harry and Amelia popped into existence four houses away from the Granger's upmarket estate as they skittered off some wards. A quick tap of a nightvision charm and she was watching the five Death Eaters stood outside the house with unease.

Remus was the last to pop in behind them. "What's happening?" He asked, drawing his own wand as a Harry snatched Hermione's wrist to stop her advancing.

"We've got at least five of them outside, more inside the house." Amelia explained quickly. "This is a lot more than I expected."

"Here's the plan." Harry stated firmly. "Amelia, you're with me as backup as we'll try and draw whoever's inside out. Remus, Tonks, Gawain you're with Hermione – protect her at all costs and get her parents out. You'll need Homo Revelus active. Lucrencia, you're freelancing. If it looks like you can kill them without drawing attention, do it."

"What about hiding our identity?" Remus asked as Harry pulled out a second wand and started muttering under her breath, runes spilling into the air, their red and black outline dim in glow of street lamps.

"If you can do it quickly, now is a good time." Hermione said, looking nervously at the house. "And they'd better not be destroyed by a finite."

Remus snorted and waved his wand at her. "I'm a Marauder, as if I'd let something that simple beat me." Her robes transformed into a flowing silken outfit that was a lot easier to move in, hair straightened and turned silver and a half-mask.

"This... looks suspiciously like something from a comic." Hermione commented as he used the charms on everyone else and she disillusioned herself.

"Anime, actually. I met the most amazing women at work a few weeks ago." Remus muttered. "But, enough talking let's go-" He cut off as the pile of glyphs in front of Harry coalesced into something brilliant and terrifying. A bending wave of something that split and curved off into the darkness. None of the Death Eaters thought to shield as the light show at the end of the street suddenly disappeared, brushing it of as some strange muggle thing. The ripple in reality cleaved an inch wide gap into the pavement, tarmac, two cars, a garden fence and the three death eaters unlucky enough to be caught in it's path.

Their dying screams held both groups enthralled. Remus turned to the child he'd thought he'd known, expecting to see remorse, disgust. The young man's face fitted the bloodlust of the demon mask he'd conjured over him as the man watched _his_ girl slaughter the last two on her dash towards the house.

"_Get going_." Harry ordered angrily as he advanced, "Hermione's halfway there, and dissilusion yourselves already. If anything happens to her..." He left the threat hanging as another pair of opponents left the house and he felt Hermione dart inside.

He didn't even break his stride as heavy footsteps rushed passed him. A few sharp jabs of his wand and the air was saturated with blasting spells, felling the two and blowing the door and part of the wall into pieces. A killing curse and something else flew past him into the night as their shots went wide.

"_Transmorgify_." A piece of the fence formed as sword at his waist as he stood at the garden entrance. A swish and a twist set the wind swirling around him and he slotted the War-wand back in its holster. "Step one, make an entrance." He said softly to himself. "Step Two, unnerve them..." He pointed his wand to his throat and forced energy into his words.

"_**Is this the best you can do?**_" Even his laughter echoed unearthily around the neighborhood as the screaming inside stopped. "_**You're just a bunch of worthless terrorists.**_"

Inside the house, Voldemort's forked tongue stopped tasting the air. "I don't recognise the voice." A flick of his wand absently killed the muggle writhing on the floor. "Finish the other one." He commanded idly, blasting the front wall of the house to smithereens. "Who are you?" The Dark Lord demanded of the red-eyed man wearing a demon mask standing calmly on the front lawn, rubble strewn around him.

Hermione placed a hand on her father's face as a another body broke and fell, ribs forced through its heart.. "Dad?" She asked, hesitantly. The rational part of her knew that particular dark curse at such a close range had killed him. That part was feeling very, very small at that moment. "I'm sorry Dad, I just froze and..." She paused. Someone was swearing in the background. "I'm sorry, I should have stopped him. I could have stopped him. It was just..." Tears ran pooled under her mask and she sniffed. "It was just three of them and, well, Riddle. I-" The gaping void inside her opened up a little further as someone reached down and closed his eyes.

"Gawain's got your mum, she's hurt but alive." She froze, a tear dropped into the gaping hole in Daniel Granger's chest and the vacuum of feeling turned into something else.

It is said that those who neglect history are doomed to repeat it. Once again, the Dark Lord had left his back exposed whilst he dealt with the only threat he believed relevant. After all, the red eyed demon-man matched him in ritual enhanced reflexes, if not in power. Voldemort was grinning like a maniac as he faced a challenge that almost rivalled Dumbledore but whose style was much more similar to his own, a blistering offence with one purpose – death. There, he'd scored a small hit on the man's arm. It was just a matter of time before he faltered and fell...

"_Incadelesume Vertis Aras!_" Hermione's rage-fueled whip of fire sliced his arm clean off and had just penetrated his ribcage as Riddle reflexively apparated away.

"Coward!" Hermione screamed, panting heavily as tears flowed freely down her face. "Bastard." She muttered quietly.

The floor shifted and there was a crash as part of the second story cracked and fell around her. Harry fell to his knees as she and the women next to her looked up at the shoddy transfiguration that had just saved their life.

"_Get us out of here._" Harry commanded with a cough. Amelia placed a comforting arm on his shoulder as she worked on breaking the apparition ward. "_Quickly_." His eyes widened as he felt several signatures flare into existence outside the ward area.

"Stop!" Dumbledore cried as the strangely garbed man disappeared with a pop.

"That didn't look like You-Know-Who." Emmeline Vance stated as she lowered her wand, arriving mere moments after the leader of the light. "What the hell happened here?"

"I honestly don't know." The Headmaster said with concern as he took in the sheer destruction, "I called everyone as soon as I felt my wards fail. I assumed it would be Voldemort out for revenge but this is something else."

"It was." Mad-eye said, backing slowly away from the house as his eye scanned over the various sliced bodies of Voldemort's minions. "These are Death Eaters and there's someone's arm on the lawn. Burnt right off."

Another bunch of pops heralded the arrival of a mass of Aurors arrived and an enhanced voice demanded that they lay down their wands and come in for questioning. With a sad sigh, Dumbledore and the Order disappeared.

"Why do I always get the shit jobs?" Kingsley commented before turning to the others. "Check the casualties for anyone who's still alive and categorise the dead. We need to work out what the fuck happened here." He ordered as everything got started. Luciena had screamed at him to handle this before running off with that fanatical look in her eyes. He looked down at the corpse that's brains appeared to be splattered by a point-blank reductor. It almost looked like her work.

"Merlin!" One of the trainees cried. "That's... that's Snape! I think I'm going to be sick." Moving over Kingsley swallowed some bile back. The guts of Hogwarts most hated professor was strewn across the pavement, the man's face frozen in an expression of shock by the spell that had torn him in half

"This one's bled out." One of the aurors yelled from the sidelines.

"So's this one." Another cried.

"What the hell is an arch doing in all this rubble?" One of the men by the house asked incredulously.

"Jenkins." Shacklebolt ordered firmly as he turned away from the bodies. "Apparate back to the Ministry and get as many obliviators and accident reversal crews out here as you can. I've got no idea how to fix most of this." A spurt of water starting gushing up from the crack. And he sighed, turning, he saw the horrified looks of the Granger's neighbours and everyone else on the street. A silhouette on one of the windows was speaking hurriedly into a phone. He could feel the headache already. "It's going to be a long night." He muttered to himself as a rumble signalled the destruction of more of the house behind him. "Why do I always get the crap jobs?"

OoooOoooO

_Same Time, Greengrass Estate_

Damien Greengrass was in his study when the shimmering globe he kept with him went out and static started running along its surface. Ever since his daughter had informed him of Snape's actions and Dumbledore's potions he'd been expecting this. The glass of Cognac rested without a sound on the table as he stood. "Timir, it's time."

"Yes, Master." The elf nodded and disappeared with a crack. With a sigh, he opened the window, dissilusioned himself and put his back next to the door, silently casting a counter-ward against the homono revelus charm.

"No one lives here, I'm telling you, there's no furniture, no portraits, no books, nothin!" A voice carried up the stairs five minutes later.

"Well, you heard what the boss lady said, we check every room and then torch the place. We need to be sure he's dead." The voice paired with that opened the door to his study and a ragged looking wizard peered in, disgusting breath trying Damien's patience. "No one in here, you check that bedroom, make sure you look under the bead as well." The man turned and Damien stepped out behind him.

There was no one else in the corridor. The poisoned knife slipped in between the third and fourth vertebrae and Damien slowly dropped the body to the ground.

"Nope there's no one in here." The other hit-wizard, thug or whatever the Dark Lord had sent to take him out came out into the corridor. "Oh shit. _Fini_-" Damien's hands sparked with a dull orange glow as he touched the fool's wand. The screams were music to his ears as he left the dagger in the mans eye-socket and walked towards the main bedroom where Two large open windows led onto the back of the house grounds.

Casting a silencing ward at the gravel he jumped, landed hard and rolled. Then he started walking away, one hand on the glittering device that detected anti-apparation wards.

"I suggest you don't move." A refined cultured voice sounded from behind him after nearly a minute of walking. "Unless it's to join me..." Damien didn't turn, smiling faintly in the moonlight as the static stopped prickling at his fingers. No wonder the Death Eaters had been so crap in their assault. "I would make it worth your while." The lusty voice promised all kinds of things.

"Whilst I would love to add the Greengrass Estate to your collection Madame Zabini I am wondering how we came to this little stand off. I thought you abhorred taking a side?" He asked his fellow neutral.

"Unfortunately my Lord was in need of followers and was very... persuasive. Well, after he made an oath to keep my daughter out of this war that is, it's no use looking beautiful dead... He is in need of competent followers..." She left the comment hanging, the gift to raise lust in another clattering off his Occlumancy barriers.

"This happened in the summer then, when Blaise was staying here?" He inquired, wondering how long this façade would go on.

"Yes, and I thank you for that." She replied, "It made things a lot easier for me. Now can I have your final answer?"

"It's amazing what we'll do for our children, isn't it?" He asked his former classmate and partner in crime. "Tell your master not to send thugs after a spy in future."

"Well almost all the good ones were killed by your wards-" Grace Zabini snorted as he disapparated with a pop instead of replying. "Typical. Just typical." One loud crack later she found the jacket that her silent tracking charm had landed on, discarded against a tree. "Oh well," arguably the worlds most beautiful women said with a wicked grin. "I guess I'll have to report yet another failure."

Apparating away she wondered how long it would take the Dark Lord to word his commands well enough that she couldn't 'slip up' so much. Then again, he had yet to realise that what he proscribed wasn't really a punishment for someone who's line had a succubi seven generations back. She was rather enjoying her snacks.

OoooOoooO

_Half an hour later, Longbottom Manor_

"Right, I want you hiding outside the entrance. Remember, at the first sign of trouble, fly the fuck away on that broom and summon help." The Auror Captain ordered firmly. "The rest of you wait in the atrium, hold out as long as you can, I'll be in charge of taking Madam Longbottom to safety." He turned the acknowledge the older women. "If that meets your approval?"

"It certainly seems adequate." Augusta said as she took in the auror protection detail she'd been assigned. "Shall we retire to my study I believe the floo there is fairly entrenched?"

The Captain nodded. "It seems like the best idea. What are you lot waiting for, get to it!" He snapped at the others, striding away to the study. "Apologies, they just don't make them like they used to. I swear they get worse every year." He gestured her to go first into the room, looking back at his subordinates hasty retreat.

"I agree, they've never quite reached the level that Frank was at." She commented idly. "Do you mind explaining the situation whilst I make tea, Amelia was a little distracted on the floo, I think one of her bodygaurds was injured or something."

"Of course. The Dark Lord is attacking Potter's-" The Captain slammed to the side as a red bolt flew past him. "Silent casting." He commented, deflecting her next stunner with a flick of his wand. "I'm impressed, what gave me away?"

"You called him 'Dark Lord'" Augusta grunted out, being forced on the defensive.

"Huh." The man pretending to be Auror Captain Hargreaves got out with an absent raise of an eyebrow. Two spells later and it was over. "I'll have to remember that in future. You really were a little too old for this even though I'm out of practice." He commented to the cooling corpse before grabbing some floo powder from the mantle and disappearing in a burst of green flame.

The polyjuice wore off with unpleasant twist across his skin as Evan Rosier went to report his success to his ranting, insane master. Not that the ministry would believe that, he'd been witnessed going down fighting in Diagon Alley sixteen years ago before some over-energetic member of the public had _incedio'_d the body beyond all recognition. The old polyjuice-imperius trick worked wonders.

_11:12 PM, DMLE office_

"This is ironic, considering that you were the one who told us to carry potions like this." Tonks tried to ease the tension in the room as Harry downed their pepper-up with a grimace, his wounds and cuts slathered in ointments.

"Mine were destroyed when I rescued Hermione this morning and I haven't gotten around to replacing them yet." His eyes strayed to the bushy, brown haired girl who was curled up in ball in one of the other couches. "Please, 'Mione, take your potions, or at least say something."

Her gaze snapped from a part of the wall to her knees as she blinked. "I'm sorry." She whispered to no one in particular as she shifted her knees closer to her chest. He sighed.

"Come over here." Her eyes darted up at him like a rabbit caught in the headlights. "That seats only big enough for one person..." He explained.

"But... But I forgot to cast an apparition ward." She said softly, another tear forming in the corner of her eye. "If I had he wouldn't have gotten away..."

"We weren't expecting Voldemort and if you had, we wouldn't have been able to get away either." Harry rose and went to pull her, unresisting from the chair. "He would have fled the moment he realised he was outnumbered - and I was already wounded. You have nothing to feel sorry about, but I'm sorry we couldn't save your father."

Hermione's head rested against his chest as he pulled her down towards the couch. Moisture soaked his shirt as he rubbed small circles down her back. "You did the best you could." He told her, muttering other little comforts into her ears as she let everything out silently before finally relaxing.

Amelia did her best not to watch the display on the conjured couch as she waited for her Lord to notice her. Two vials of the memory clouding potion that Aurors drank when they'd seen too much lay on the desk. Remus slunk in behind her, the door closing with a click. Harry's eyes caught the pair of them, giving her an apologetic smile, before nodding to Remus. "Report."

"We managed to slip Ms. Granger into St. Mungoes for treatment. They reckon that, given a regular potion routine she should recover, if not fully. She was mostly suffering from cruciatus exposure and a blood boil curse." Remus reported sadly. Harry nodded to himself.

"At least she's going to be okay, we'll need to move her and give her something to take her mind of her husband... Any suggestions?" He asked the group as a whole. They shared a blank look for a moment or two before Remus spoke again.

"Well, Althric Artifice might be willing to employ her and they're offering accommodation and no one will think to look for her there." The group looked to him. "I'm not quite sure how to get her in though, I got a personal invite to work as security for them a few weeks back." Harry frowned, he didn't remember ordering that but it was mostly Daphne, Erin and Padma who'd been the most interested in his business venture.

"It might work." Harry said, shifting so that Hermione could more easily participate in the conversation. "What do you think, would your mum be willing to work as a manager or in magical research?"

"I... don't know." She looked up at him with wide, hopeful, eyes. "She's always been a dentist as far as I know, there's not really a magical equivalent of that. Do you think she could?"

Harry smiled. "If I'm going to employ goblins I can employ mundanes." He clicked his fingers. "That's it! She can work in the misinformation department. Working out justifications for things like the cold-cure potion. That alone is going to be worth its weight in gold on the mundane market." He looked around at the group's astounded expressions. "What?"

"You make it sound like you own the company and are planning on breaking the statue of secrecy." Remus said a little nervously.

Harry laughed. "That's because I own it at and you underestimate the human capacity to believe bullshit." He replied with a smile. "I'll arrange for her to get an offer in a day or two when Daphne's back on her feet, in the meantime, you're in charge of making sure Mrs. Granger's safe and understands what's happening."

Remus frowned. This was going to make his life a lot more complicated than he wanted it to be and eat into his free time with {chemist girl}, but he could do it. "I will."

"Thank you." Hermione said, the vestige of a smile passing across her face. "Both of you." Remus looked away, ashamed of even thinking about refusing.

"I promised I'd look after you, kitten." Harry said fondly to the girl in his arms and the smile reached her eyes this time as she moved up and licked his nose. Harry raised an eyebrow at her smug look and Amelia coughed. The attention of the room shifted back to her.

"The Grangers weren't the only ones attacked tonight. The Lovegood's house has been destroyed along with the Greengrass house and Malfoy manor. Whilst we believe that Xeno Lovegood is out of the country searching for some sort of creature, we have no idea what could have happened to the current Greengrass head. Madam Longbottom was assassinated by someone disguised as one of my Aurors when we went to warn her about the danger." She walked over to the seat that Hermione had occupied and collapsed into it. "It's likely that I will be forced to resign over this. Sorry Gawain."

"Has anything happened to the Abbot, Patil, Zabini, Davis or Mantle families?" Harry asked with alarm. "Because if he's gone after those as well..."

Madam Bones shook her head. "As far as we are aware the Patils and Zabini's are fine and we don't know the locations of the other three."

"Good. Well, it's not good but you know what I mean. Neville's not going to be amused by this." Harry frowned as he thought. "We've done enough damage that Riddle is unlikely to launch another attack within the week and if the other families have been attacked there's nothing we can do about it now. I'm sure we'll be able to think of something for everyone to do, but we really need Daphne to make any concrete plans." He sighed. "It's your birthday tomorrow as well." He muttered to the girl in his arms. "At least I added a timer charm to the heating charms before we left. Hopefully the potion won't have completely evaporated..."

"Back to the castle then?" Tonks asked and Harry nodded.

"As soon as possible, this could not have picked a worse time to happen... Come on kitten." He muttered to the girl in his arms.

OoooOoooO

_?:? 19th October_

Hermione sprung bolt upright in bed. A faint sheen of sweat decorated her forehead as she tried to reconstruct her Occlumantic barriers, sleeping with them up meant she'd be tired tomorrow but she couldn't afford to dream. Every time she closed her eyes, her fathers eyes just stared back up at her.

"Nightmares?" Her breathing hitched, eyes turning to the man sitting at her desk. Harry's wand lit with a soft light that penetrated pitch black of the room. She nodded reluctantly. "I coudln't sleep either, mind if I join you?"

Hermione didn't make a move, either for or against as he stood, wearing little more than a pair of silk pjama bottoms. His lips twitched up at the corner at her lack of response. "Good, because you don't have a choice in the matter." He said calmly as he stalked round to the other side of her bed.

"You're mine." He whispered in her ear as he pulled her down and pressed against her back. "No one takes you away from me." He yawned, snuggling into her hair as his arm snuck round her and pulled her tight, clutching his wand between her breasts and under her sleepwear. "_Mine_." He repeated softly, more to himself than her.

Hermione felt her fears slowly ebb away, letting the fatigue that had settled into her bones rise up and her eyes grow heavy. "Thank you Master..." She whispered, falling back into more pleasant dreams.

'_I Love you' _she half-heard, half imagined as his arms tightened around her waist.

- CHAPTER ENDS -

**The rest of the Plot**

-Hermione wakes up, finds her 'present' from Daphne (card states that finite is the safeword) or wakes up post Harry enchanting her slightly. I've made a couple attempts at writing this, neither felt right.

-Birthday presents downstairs. Etc. Etc. Ritual scene starts with Harry coming up behind her and whispering 'finite' to have the only clothes she's wearing disappear. It starts very poorly as she literally gives him herself and he doesn't manage to grab hold of it all quickly enough.

-We then cut to near the end, with Harry struggling to keep control of himself as the darker side of his personality starts showing. (Using the lack of potion as an excuse to gag Hermione with a cloth soaked in it)

- Post Rite, he drains the other girls of some of their energy to replenish part of the keystone's energy (They're getting dangerously close to dissolving into chaos and really need another power source). The non-Harem members of the 'Black House' are starting to seriously freak out at this point. Character development ensues, especially with Astoria & the Carrow twins.

-They're also now stuck trying to work out how to deal with the fallout of last night without Daphne or Hermione (the girls are also dealing with the side effects of the ritual leaking over to them through the coven bond).

- Everyone is surprised when they find out that snape is dead, which leads to a blunder with them overplaying their hand slightly and Dumbledore realising that Harry is both a Lord and far more competent than he thought he was. His perspective shifts from viewing Harry as a wayward student to a possible enemy. Similarly the ramifications of events in the Wizengamot makes him beleive that both him and Voldemort are bombs of political instability and death looking for a place to go off.

- Dumbledore rails against the unfairness of it all in his own commentry, wondering when he'll have the time to sleep with all the catastrophes he has to deal and coming to a disturbing realisation: Hermione & Co. spend all their time in the library, so do other students. Similarly whilst he vetted his staff, he didn't vet the librarian.

- Dumbledore and Madam Prince have a confrontation in the library. Things get destructive, students get hurt but Dumbledore wins without a scratch. The librarian gets out a 'you can't stop us now' or similar before commiting suicide via poison capsule (as a magical one, it literally makes her explode) and her spirit flees the castle ala shade of Voldemort.

- Chapter ends with Dumbledore standing in a circle of calm as fires lick the shelves and the screams of enchanted books mingle with the pained cries of students.

His eyes searched the stacks, ignoring the fleeting look of terror a third year ravenclaw gave him as she shuffled away, her left arm blackened and charred. He licked dry lips and released the energy he'd taken from the castle's keystone back to where it belonged. "What have I done?" He asked the burning library. "What have _**they**_ done?"

- He closes the library until he has a chance to look through it for traps, alterations, dangerous books etc.

Chapter - 'Unforseen Consequences'

- We then cut to the next day. The paper is out, including an article written by an anagram of Luna Lovegood on the library events. We start the chapter with it being read in a closed meeting inside the ministry of magic.

- The axe has to fall on someone, and Dumbledore has postponed a lot of his problems by cutting himself free of the government and declaring himself and Hogwarts an independant state (which it technically is, by law) so they can't shaft him. Amelia Bones draws the short straw as technically she should have been dealing with it, but was out of her office for the entire sequence of events. In an obviously political move Scrimgeour is apointed over her apointed succesor Gawain. This irritates a lot of reasonable people in the government.

- She retires, some of her Auror's come with her and we have the first scene involving the set up of Althric Artifice. Harry's time is suddenly in high demand.

-Back in the castle, Daphne is waking up:

* * *

><p><em>«…moves.» <em>She groaned, shifting her head back and away from the occasional tickling feeling darting under her chin. It was nice and warm and- «_Awake, Mistress awake!»_

Daphne's eyes shot open as shifted upright, hand running through matted hair as a warm weight fell from her chest. _«Yes, I'm awake you-» _There was a six-inch long snake with four slitted yellow eyes lying on the sheet after having fallen from between her breasts.

It was looking at her with complete and utter admiration. Being able to tell that was worrying in of itself.

_«Mistress?»_ It hissed as the silence stretched out. _«Mistress okay? Mistress hurt?»_ The panic and fear laced somehow into its voice snapped the girl from her shock. Daphne Greengrass emerged back into the world and she slumped straight back into bed.

_«I'm fine. I think.» _She hissed, trying to rebuild her scattered occlumancy and remember... well remembering what the last thing she remembered was would be a start. For example this little bit here that involved Hermione and a clone of herself and some... The blonde blushed and swallowed, nipples pointing a bit. The snake hissed with interest and slithered its way up her body to investigate.

That just made things worse.

"Fuck." She swore the ceiling, fists clenching as she bit at her lip. Her breath slowly returned to normal. In and out. That definitely wasn't one of her fantasies.

Also, increased sensitivity was not something that had been on their list of possible side effects. She was going to tie whoever was responsible for that little lapse up and- Daphne stopped the thought halfway. The tiny little basilisk hissed with pleasure as she stroked it, distracting it from the babbling she hadn't been paying attention to. An attraction to the other girls Harry liked was not unexpected. It was just... unnerving.

_«What's your name?» _She asked the snake, resolving to get up and check for physical changes. As soon as she couldn't think of anything else to do.

_«Don't have one. Big-One-With-Food said you name me, when wake. He said name wasn't his to give. Can I have name now?» _It asked happily.

* * *

><p>- scene continues for a bit she gets increasingly freaked out trying to deal with being a) horny as hell, and b) not human. Then she finds the newspapers.<p>

She'd been unconscious for three days, possibly even exactly three days and a lot of things appeared to have happened in her absence and- shit. Hermione would be unconscious too. She really should read these before she went and... did what she needed. It was like fighting herself and she just couldn't be bothered to deal with it anymore.

Because, if she just went with the flow she could pretend that she meant to head in this direction all along and not because she felt an urge to. For a second she could pretend that she believed herself to be entirely human.

Then she realised she was halfway down her room's staircase with only an infant basilisk between her new body and the world. It was even wrapped around her neck. "Shit."

- Gets downstairs, her scattered barriers overload as her mind comes into contact with everyone there and she very nearly has a breakdown before Harry manages to order them out. They share a few words before everything devolves into sex. That scratches the itch as it were and releases a lot energy.

- They muse on what could have gone wrong with the ritual (it's pretty easy to figure out as Daphne now sweats Jasmine (whichever herb she was) flavoured oil over her scales instead of well, sweat. (This, by the way, is ruinous on most fabrics and makes for interesting clothing choices). She's got additional, unplanned imprints as well as the painful jumble of other things that have happened to her.

-This is also the point where they discover the Potter Gift: Harry's eyes become slitted like Daphne's and he gains her uncontrolled telepathy whilst near her. Yep, he has power mimicry & sensing (the sensing part has already been established) the most broken combo in reality. In an aside later when he finally gets access to the Potter Grimoire he'll find out about it in full, including comments on various other bloodlines that are good to mimic.

- Ends with them talking over the current situation. It boils down to them needing time to regroup, consolidate and work out what the hell is going on. (Daphne spends most of the conversation naked and snuggling into Harry, not finding anything odd about it)

~ O ~

- We enter the consolidation / worldbuilding phase of the game. Time passes, character development occurs...

- Hermione wakes up, vastly changed from her pre-ritual state. Everyone's a little unnerved by this. Erin backs out of the whole ritual thing, no one blames her. The other start looking for alternatives. (We also stop having scenes from Hermione's PoV as with the bizzare version of The Sight she's ended up with and her increased intelligence and intuition her perspective is now too alien to easily portray) Luna calls her sister and she's Harry's familiar (more so than Hedwig) this has a bizzare knock on effect with the others in coven that only gets worse as the other's are enhanced. Hannah is one of the few people that doesn't mind this and lets herself fall a little more into the Black Arts.

-Time passes, other rituals happen. We focus on development with the Dumbledore and his political moves making waves. The group decides that whilst the Room/Realm they have is nice, depending on Hogwarts for power and entrance/exit is not viable so they begin to come up with a plan B. Voldemort ponders to himself and looking for the person who foiled his attack on the Grangers.

-Some more muggleborn 'want in' on the Black House. They're gaining momentum and the student environment polarises and hostilities ensue. (Various classes are cancelled, there's talk of people not being allowed home for christmas / people being pulled out left and right, the library is closed etc)

* * *

><p>Susan placed a bunch of papers on the table with a fanatical smile across her face. "I have an idea. Look, Harry owns this business, so maybe we could write a couple of books. Small ones, maybe fifty-sixty pages with small little tips on how to evade Death Eaters, or useful charms and tricks people could use and then post adverts round the school and sell them. I've got a couple of ideas on what we could do."<p>

"I hadn't thought of that." Harry muttered before Daphne shook her head.

"Althric Artifice is in no way capable of supporting this, we don't have shops set up and aren't likely to until we start actually producing things. Even then, I'd want to sell through a third party as it would be best if we gained a reputation for artifacts and cutting edge potions." Daphne pointed out with a frown. "Then again, we could do with the revenue..."

"These would be perfect for a prank shop. And the kids are more likely to buy them from there if they beleive they're fun." He smirked, looking down the list of ideas Susan had written down. "We can even get them printed muggle style if we're quick. Change a 'Introduction to Occlumency' to 'Getting Away With It, and other study tips' and we'd not only sell more but have more people learning from them as well." Blaise nodded to herself.

"I agree, if these things are going to be aimed at kids, and I'll probably write a charms one with dissilusionment in at least. Most people never check with revelus..." Blaise trailed off.

Harry smiled warmly at Susan. "I think we've just found our first product. Nice work." She blushed at the praise. "I might as well write a potions one and get in touch with the Weasley twins. Blaise, you want to get involved with the Carrows to perform a massive prank advert at the leaving feast?"

"Oh hell yes." She stated with conviction.

* * *

><p>- The slug club happens near halloween. Most of them go 'wait, who?' and don't attend. The event is essentially dead as a result. Slughorn leaves to the continent in retaliation despite Dumbledores best efforts. They prepare for an assualt by Voldemort...<p>

-Halloween passes by with nothing of note happening.

- The next point of major importance is Christmas where things start heating up. If I had any sense I'd wrap everything up and end it over the christmas holidays but I don't quite.

- Althric really gets going, Harry finds out that they've burnt the Black fortune on setting it up and are into the Malfoy fortune (the Potter's is long gone) They're starting to break even though, especially as the group start teaching them interesting things like Alchemy and plot based awesomeness from the RoR. Mr. Greengrass catches up with them, Astoria is relieved he's still alive, Daphne is embarrassed that she hadn't noticed he was missing. His news is badly received by most (especially Blaise, who didn't even know her family were part succubus) and they start work on getting cold cure potions sold to the muggle populace (it takes a while: drug trials etc). Setting up the appropriate shell companies etc is exceedingly difficult as I'm not allowed to have a 'the goblins did it' moment. But it's started and Hermione's mum has something to do and focus on.

- This is not a shiny / happy holiday and it gets worse when Voldemort attacks on christmas eve, slaughtering Cornelius and other members of the government, claiming that he will 'free them from..' whatever, he talks long enough for a disguised Harry to show up and kill him, and his friends as Dumbledore and the Order act as distractions. (Remus is heavily wounded in the attack, Amelia is crippled, Emelia Vance is dead and Erin is killed defending Valour who was in the crowd) The Weasley subplot also moves forward here with the death of some of their family members.

- Everything shifts to a war footing at this point. Scrimgeour is in charge as the senior politician. Auror recruitment is up, Dumbledore is invited back as all is forgiven. The shell of a puppet government is erected and everything goes to hell.

- Harry & Co. destroy the keystones in their part of London, Harry taps the laylines directly and they erect a new set of keystones as well as a gateway to their realm and an additional power feed to it.

- Chapter ends with Gawain watching black patches etch themselves onto the monitoring map of Great Britain as he reads a couple of the new ministry edicts. (Hogwarts isn't on it, but it's not just Harry that's carving out a bit of his own real estate)

- The next chapter starts with Harry & Co. on the train back up to hogwarts post holiday. Their discussion of 'now we only have to deal with Dumbledore is interrupted by Voldemort assaulting the train amidst a murder of dementors.

- He's flying too. Hannah takes one look at this, her breath frosting the glass as she smile faintly and informs them that he's dead. Why? Because otherwise the dementors would be destroying him, fealty or not. The trains stops as Harry and Hermione's patronus reacts like the noonday sun, protecting the train. There are still deaths and Voldemort has made his second return with a splash, which was his entire point.

- Harry & Co. at this point are suffering from a 'what the hell do we do now?' moment. Before Hannah smiles and asks them to leave Voldemort to her.

- Cut to the news reaching Gringott's. The Silvereye have major problems at this point and they start their own plans in motion. Foreshadowy McForeshadow

- Dumbledore is distracted from his plans to deal with Harry by 'Toms' sudden reapearance and, in his old age, he's forced to go on the offensive in an attempt to burn him down before it's too late. He barely shows his face at the welcome back feast, mentions the new state of security, the places and floors that are off limits. (There's not much of an active Hogwarts left at this point) Order members are everywhere but they're not quite good enough to stop Harry & Co. anymore and some of the lower years are leant the cloak so they can sneak past the guards more easily.

- Dumbledore goes forth and does battle with the great Gaunt Shack Horcrux. He's very damn good, but still gets done in by the traps and temptation presented by the ring (his sister, by the way, is confused to see him as he's very different from the young man he remembers - she's also lacking a lot of the details of her memory as a pure spirit).

- It is at this point that Mr. Rosier attempts to undermine the Ministry by assassinating and impersonating Gawain, the current figurehead of the auror department as he's a little too effective. It goes badly for him, the department and the Ministries sensor grid as a lot of irreplacable tech is heavily damaged.

- We also have a scene or two about the aftermath and the DoM politely telling the Ministry to go fuck itself with the Lady Blake revealing herself and casually defeating a large group of Aurors without any real difficulty. (She also has a War wand)

- It's at this point that things start drawing towards their sudden but inevitable conclusion. Amidst character development and rampant paranoia, dumbledore gets his hands on Harry's invisibility cloak and discovers that sometimes a childrens story is just a childrens story and that a myth is just a myth.

* * *

><p>Albus wheezed and Fawkes burnt low. The clasp of the cloak was secure against his throat, the ring with ressurection stone encircled his cursed and withered arm. The Elder Wand pointed straight at the floor. Each item had been taken by force, stealth or cunning from it's previous owner so he was their rightful master.<p>

- Stuff -

Albus Brian Wulfric Percival Dumbledore felt like a small child who at the tender age of five was told that father christmas did not exist. That the ressurection stone was just powerful necromantic artefact, that the invisibility cloak was simply an masterwork of enchantment and his wand? For all he knew it could have been Morgana's or Merlin's but it hadn't been crafted by Death.

Even in a world of magic, sometimes a myth was just a myth.

He felt a little silly finding that out at his age.

* * *

><p>- Time goes on, so do the rituals and Dumbledores frantic attempts to fix his problems before his inevitable death.<p>

- Harry gets an emergency comunique from his goblin 'friends'. Shit rolls downhill and a couple of other clans have declared war on the Silvereye clan and, as a result, his vaults. They use the realm exit in london and head over there immediately and under the guise of visiting their vaults get a crash course in the brutal world goblin politics. (It's at this point that they unlock & empty their vaults including the Slytherin one and Harry learns what he can from the Flamel one, which isn't much). Staffs come into the picture as weapons. Bluntly they're crap compared to a decent wand and only slightly more useful than the wand Hermione & Co. made.

- He ends up binding the remainder of clan Silvereye to himself as their new chieftain (they hate him for it) as they fight their way out of the tunnels and the old chief dies on the stairs of Gringott's, a smile on his face as he sees the sun for the first time.

- Suffice to say this causes all kinds of problems for the group, the government and everyone. This is the moment which they declare themselves the most dangerous player on the board, and they barely realise what they've done in time. Chapter ends with them devising a plan to take down dumbledore.

- Actually taking down Dumbledore inside Hogwarts does happen. They merely need to cut him off from the keystone and he becomes a lot easier to deal with. 'merely' is not quite the right word for it and, upon their discovery the girls fight a delaying action, using Dumbledore's unwillingness to kill against him as they get utterly ruined even with their power ups and abilities.

- Harry & Hermione eventually break through and shatter the Hogwarts keystone, crippling Dumbledore in backlash and leaving him open to Daphne, who kills him with a well place cutting charm. The castle shatters and crumbles under its own weight as the magic that held it together drains away. Quite a few people die as a result and the Realm gate to the castle deactivates.

- The aftermath is not pleasant, more so when they find an army of dark creatures and Death Eaters has been ravaging Hogsmeade unopposed and is not on their way here. Team Harry has just enough time to potion themselves up and remove the internal threat before Voldemort arrives. Again and with the knowledge that Dumbedore is dead. (It's obvious due to the state of the castle).

- There's his usual egotistical 'come out Potter' moment and he is somewhat amused when they oblidge. Blaise uses her abilities as an illusionist to cover the group, so Voldemort beleives he is exchanging pre-slaughter banter with Harry and reveling in revealing how he let him win all those times so that Dumbledore wouldn't attempt to move against him and focus instead on the prophecy. He is instead exchanging pre-fight banter with Blaise whilst Harry uses his war wand and and the ley-lines of Hogwarts to cast fiendfyre's older meaner brother: warfire.

- Yep, Voldemort and his army makes the fatal mistake of standing still and most of it dies horribly in the infernal fires of hatred. Voldemort survives through constructing a shield of fiendfyre, as do those on the edges (most of whom flee). Harry mimicks Voldemort and takes to the skies, Voldemort eventually realises that Harry is in fact the masked bastard who killed him the second time as Harry incapacitates him.

- The rest of the battle ends badly for the forces of darkness and we end with Hannah (who by this point is bound completely to Harry and whose humanity is just ashes in the wind) ripping his soul from his body and sending it painfully into the abyss.

- At this point the main players are dead and you might think the story ends here. Not quite. Emotional aspects are explored, the main cast become steadily more Orwellian as the ministry tries a few things in an attempt to get some control of the situation. Everyone runs scared, the goblins rebell though it doesn't do them much good as the army & SWAT move in when they break out into the streets of London.

- The inevitable confrontation between Harry & Co. and Lady Blake and the DoM occurs after they shatter the core keystone of the Ministry of Magic and leave Magical England open for a free for all.

- There are two ways the confrontation could have gone, Harry and Co. detect the invisible members of the DoM loitering around as they go to the meeting, take them out, steal their time turners and turn the DoMs biggest advantage, knowledge of the future, against them. Or we have a rather dystopian scene with an extremely powerful, intelligent lich who is, bluntly, ten steps ahead of them laying out a set of reasonable terms that leaves them free to do whatever they hell they want as long as they leave her and her's alone. A much younger Irma Prince is standing with her and we have one of those 'I made you what you are' moments where she claims responsibility for most of what's happened.

- Whatever happens with the DoM Harry & Co. are left in charge of a rebelling populace, warlike and angry magical creatures and massive international tensions with the community abroad. This is shoved by the wayside as Padma finally realises that the doom portents she's been divining for the last couple of months occur on Harry's seventeenth birthday. It doesn't take much for them to realise that Harry went through a core collapse way back in chapter 4ish when he removed Voldemort's soul fragment from himself hence his Majority is actually his eight probably fatal one and since they're so tightly bound to him, it'll probably kill them too.

- Hermione and the others come up with a plan however and everything goes of much like one of the girls rituals but with six of them and no sex. They're just looking for him to survive this. Survive it he does in the same manner as his previous majorities: his Gift copying the powers of nearby magics (normally Tom's soul fragment) and integrating them into his own. Harry Potter is now female, has a lot of bizarre magical gifts and a member of the coven in an abrupt kind of turnaround.

The story ends here.


	15. Deriving the Magic in TRL

**The TRL Magic System,**  
><em><strong>Or<strong>_**  
>What the Hell was I thinking?<strong>

In trying to quantize and make interesting various parts of the story I ended up with a framework for magic that was almost painfully over complicated and almost impossible to keep straight. I figured I'd put some of the thought that went into it here in case anyone found the world building / clusterfuck interesting.

**Part the First: What is magic?**

There came a point in writing this story when I sat back and asked myself 'Right, you have these bloodline abilities, where the hell do they come from?'. The characters weren't necessarily going to find out, and neither were the readers but, as the author, it's something that I needed to know or at the very least have a good idea about.

Rituals, as the ultimate in handwavium were of course my first choice. Because they're barely touched on in canon we can do pretty much whatever we like with them and even point at the mention of dark evil rituals used by Voldemort and claim it as evidence. Unfortunately something that powerful does not get quietly forgotten by magical society, even if it's not the done thing. At least one or two cunning little muggleborns would have discovered/stolen the knowledge and founded Houses of their own.

Speaking of muggleborn their very existence sparks some interesting questions if you assume that bloodline 'gifts' exist. For instance, if magic can spontaneously appear in a bloodline, can a gift appear in a bloodline without magic? If it can't, why not? Restricting them to the magical population is almost necessary to enforce a firm magical/non-magical separation. Not doing so leaves all kinds of things open to happen or a crossover with a mutant/superhero Universe which would alter the growth of magical society regardless.

The problem comes in asking why these abilities spontaneously appear in the magical population in a similar manner to muggleborn appearing in the non-magical one unless you assume the same reason applies to both. Namely mutation / evolution. Magic is an obvious survival advantage, as is being able to use a class of magic without a focus. However I didn't want to demystify magic to the point at which it becomes a genetic marker (and really, how does the ability to warp reality, common sense, time and death become something as mundane as a chemical sequence?). That leaves us with a mutation in something else, with the soul seeming to be the most obvious thing.

Once you've assumed that souls can mutate between generations all kinds of possibilities open up, and you can find alternate explanations for the craziest of things. One of my favourites being that the 'werewolf curse' is in fact a spiritual parasite that evolved from a bunch of spiritual wolves in siberia as a survival mechanism (spiritual possession via bite against bears) and has since evolved further in strange ways. That never made it in though, and good riddance to it.

Further complication came when I considered squibs, who are not magic users and not non-magic users, which is awkward because this means that magic use can't be the result of just one mutation or there is a form of mutation that cripples it. Either way works and either way is plausible. At the end of the day it doesn't really matter which you choose or don't choose, but I decided that it would two mutations, the first was the ability to store magical energy, the second to manipulate it, because it was a neat separation.

Incidentally, it also leads to their being two different variants of squibs and naturally occurring squibs that are a lot more common that the purebloods would like to believe.

As for the Lordship ability, that was a giant problematic kettle of fish. Had it just been the ability to bind followers and gain power from it, it would have been fine, but the various auras and other effects made it far too complex for it to be a single mutation stage. It was also suspiciously specific.

We've now ascertained that the ability to use magic and the amount of magical power someone has is down to the spiritual equivalent of genetics (if there could be said to be such a thing, the soul is not immutable in this setting, it can be split). This also implies a level of spiritual inheritance.

In case people were wondering, this is why females in this setting gain slowly in magical power before accelerating post menopause in this setting and men lower their maximum magical potential by wanking but have a steady gain. The kid's soul has to come from somewhere. (Similarly a virgin is different from a non-virgin in that their spirit hasn't been touched/contaminated by fragments of another's among other nonsensical plot reasons.)

The existence of dementors adds another level of complications to this as they show that the body and soul are not required for the other to function (so do ghosts and horcruxes) and we have to ask ourselves why they're two separate things. There's not really a good answer to this as a question, I could think of reasons why a body would want a soul (access to emotions, magic use etc.) and a soul would want a body (a power source, if magic is produced by living things, a safe haven from some magics that can target souls) but not a compelling reason as to why they are this way.

I eventually settled on a framework that worked for the Voldemort/Riddle parts of the story, with the soul being the emotional/magical core of a person whilst the mind stores the memories kind of like a hard drive and the body acts as armour/magical battery. This means that when Voldemort died, he also lost a lot of his knowledge and more of it went with the destruction of the diary in second year. Hence when he's resurrected he has a very good reason to lose the fight and stay in the shadows for a year or two regaining his knowledge.

It also makes Necromancy/Necrourgy a lot more complicated and difficult but that's mostly a pleasant side effect.

As for Majorities, those are an excuse to have some fun with the characters and explain why certain abilities only appear when characters are mature enough to use them. Can I think of a decent basis for it? No. A gradual appearance over time would make more sense, but is harder to dramatise and I wanted to come up with a reason why the power of spells goes up in increments across the years. First years being unable to cast things like reducto without knocking themselves out seems as good idea as any.

Incidentally Hermione is ten and a half months older than Harry by canon which in the world of statistics makes her age at the start of term one as well as her head start on knowing about magic almost as much of an indicator as to their academic gap as her personality and general book reading. Date of Birth and term times are unfortunate like that. Even more so when you're informed of something on the day you hit eleven and therefore has that ten and a half month advantage of magical development.

**Part the Second: The Energy of Magic**

This is the part where everything goes to hell in a handcart. Why? Potions, wandlore and the patronus. We've decided that magic is the manipulation of energies, ergo potions is the mixing of residues of these energies left behind in somethings body after it dies (vanishing blood/bodies is difficult as a result of this). Every ingredient has a different reaction to other ingredients so we can infer that almost every species magical energy is different. It's obvious, it's also very big when we include the importance of wood from wandlore. I'll state it on it's own line:

Every plant, animal and probably insect species produces/maintains a magical energy different from almost any other and it varies throughout their body. (see: bezoar)

Not exactly something we were expecting to have as a logical consequence of having magic as an energy that can be inherent in a body. We're now left with the problem of how runes react to the differences in these energies and whether or not they have a tolerance. Either way we have issues. I choose to go with them reacting differently and runes having a tolerance, as minor variations in energy type equates to minor variations in rune geometry, like having a line a couple of degrees off.

Thus we have rituals where the runes in use determine if you can sacrifice a goat or a bunny, the energy difference between a male and female unicorn could drastically alter the properties of a potion made with 'unicorn horn' and so on. Life for magic users just became a lot more dangerous and a lot more unpredictable. Incidentally I never did decide if it was possible to use a wand with your mouth or feet as they're somehow 'keyed' to your hands.

On that line of thought we now know that every living beings magical energy is inherently different (see wand choosing) and may not be uniform throughout their body. We also know that the runes used are dependant on the energies being channeled, leaving us a very large amount of complicated stuff to make up magic. It gets worse because of one spell: The Patronus.

Emotions are being used to power spells. This isn't consuming a memory or drawing from the wizards energy store, it's drawing from the emotion themselves as best as I can tell. I might be wrong, but assume I'm right: we have an emotion powering a spell, so emotions are a form of energy. All emotions. Not just love, happiness etc. because that wouldn't make sense. The question becomes where does the energy come from?

At this point I made a bit of leap and assumed it came from elsewhere, mostly because this has pleasant consequences. Demons for instance suddenly become entities from emotional planes and the reason why creatures evolve to feel emotions? Why people acting in the name of fear and love are able to perform extraordinary things? Why, it's because they're channeling energy from one of the most potent emotional planes of course. *twirls moustache*

See good chap, everything's worked out there.

Except it hasn't because we've added yet another layer of complexity onto our magical energy kerfuffle. Right next to 'every living thing' we can write 'emotions' and 'mystical planes' because why stop at just the emotional ones, there's always necromancy, the void, the elements and...

If you feel the need to break down or close the browser window from the madness I've written myself into, feel free.

After working through that bag of beans we go onto something even more nonsensical and into the realm of fan-fiction. A part of my plot requires the existence of ley-lines, a cool idea that has been floating around for some time but leaves us with a slight problem. It means the earth has magic, looking back on our previous reasoning why should its magic be like any other celestial bodies magic. Hell, what's to say there aren't ley-lines on mars?

Making such a decision is awkward and mostly unnecessary even if I still made it in the story: Mithril in this setting is the mixing of silver with magic emitted by the moon when hit by sunlight and orichalcum, something very important for growing food in the caverns of gringotts, is made from mixing gold with magical energy from the sun. Alchemy is such a wonderful excuse for bullshit.

The reason why we don't have to worry about this is mostly the same reason we declare that we don't have to worry about all these planes, creatures and other things: humanity hasn't discovered the runes for them yet and hasn't had the capability to. Thus we restrict ourselves to a nice manageable subset of our highly analysed... magic.

Yeah...

The number of times I ended up on a tangent because of these thoughts.

**Part the Third: Runes, Arithmancy, Wands and other Tools**

As the two subjects not covered by the books in any way, shape or form Runes and Arithmancy give authors a great leeway to do whatever the hell they like with them. For TRL I decided that they'd feature the basics of Artefact Creation and Spell Creation respectively as befitting their status as difficult subjects (and because actual Arithmancy is a footnote in Divination, which does not a subject make).

The problem is trying to decide how these subjects work in relation to everything else as well as their scale: Can you create wandless spells? Staff-based spells? Wands themselves? Great artefacts of power? etc. There has to be a reason that the stereotypical ancient artifact is better than anything modern day, assuming you're going that route. Making ancient things more powerful is certainly easier on the characters as it lets them find MacGuffins lying around instead of always being one-upped by more experienced or richer characters. (Malfoy, for instance, would have a ton of the damn things.) See also: Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes apparently the only manufacturer of interesting war goods in canon.

I'd already decided by this point that magic is an application of energy channeled and manipulated by the mind. The problem then becomes why a wand is even needed and how does it work? There were many ways I could have gone about this, from it being a parasite, a 'block' on wandless magic, a training tool and various other stereotypical things you'll see in a lot of fics. But is my story history was important, and the standard wand has been in development for over a thousand years as of the start of the story and it's abilities need to reflect that.

The Ollivander wand is not just a simple tool, it's a tool based off thousand years of wand-lore, specifically carved remains of a living tree and a vitally important piece of a magical creature. Thus I decided that when a character casts a spell they're providing the energy whilst it does most of the legwork. This provides me with a firm basis off runes, making them provide a geographical framework that cause certain energies to react in certain ways. Essentially making them the base components of my sufficiently analysed magic.

We now know what runes do and why wands are necessary so we must therefore derive why incantations and wand movements exist. The movements are easy, you're just performing an additional rune or direction that modifies/enables the spell. As for the incantations... I eventually decided that if a wand is capable of so many spells then an incantation is as good as any to differentiate the sets of runes being used.

What's interesting about this line of thought is that it doesn't limit us to one type of wand. More importantly it means that spells are created specifically for a type of wand and methods that work for one type of wand might not work for another, opening up all kinds of possibilities for the Elder Wand if, in fact, you want to use the Elder Wand as a artefact at all. (I did eventually decide that it was a wand that instead of having a core ate a piece of the user's soul each time as the 'core' of the spell, leading to great effects and a decreased life span.) You can see this in the War Wand / Ollivander Wand / Rune Project Wand in the story.

Staffs are an amusing item of interest. I've seen a few stories in which the 'holy shit Harry you're too powerful for a wand' occurs and they inevitably give him a staff. A staff which uses the same spells as everyone elses wand. To start with it's really difficult to perform any kind of precise wand movement with something that has that much inertia and secondly wizards moved from staffs to wands. I see no reason for staves to be anything other than crude channeling devices - say a branch struck by lightning carved with runes for 'lightning' or similar and a soaked in potion made from lightning-like materials.

The sort of thing that would leave your ordinary wizard crying for a decent wand. But that's just my not-so-humble opinion.

Incidentally the magical 'numbers' I've used are the primes, which fit quite neatly into the pool of modern day numerical superstitions in fiction.

Thanks for reading. o/


End file.
